Marked For Life
by PhoenixDiamond
Summary: Naruto was leaving from a long day of school and night of work when he comes across an injured person or creature in an allyway. As odd as it sounds, he didn't know whether to be horrified by the fur covered person or turned on. NekoSasu/Naru. AU. Humor.
1. That Night

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or the characters. I do not make any profit from this story.

**Author's Rant:** Hell everyone else is making Neko Sasuke stories. I want one too.

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**That Night**

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Wednesday evening was humid with the occasional breeze rustling through. Sprinkles of rain splashed against Naruto's face as he tried to angle his umbrella against the sideways drizzle. Hurricane season was turning up this year. There'd been reports of a Tropical Storm heading for the islands, but only he was stupid enough to have come out anyway. Naruto had finished up another late shift at work and evening of classes. It was downright nasty out here. Did his boss give a damn? Hell no, as long as there were just-as-stupid customers bold enough to be out this weather, he wanted to serve them. Naruto's school was just as funny acting with how they wanted to handle the weather conditions. You miss a day, it'd be a good chance you missed an assignment.

That marks bullshit in his book but, oh well. He had to do what he had to do.

With two school books tucked under his armpit and the other supporting a red backpack and his umbrella, all Naruto could focus on was getting home as fast as he could.

Spring semester was finally coming to a close in the next three weeks and he really needed to buckle down. Finals on Biochemistry, Calculus, and Japanese Civilization were hard enough and damn, don't get him started on learning Political Science. Honestly, he frequently questioned what all of these subjects had to do with becoming a Scuba Diver. It was only a two year program.

Naruto worked a part time job as a bartender and occasional cook for the Tiki Hut down by the Konoha shoreline. Yeah that's right, he lived on the islands or to be more specific one of several lands located around the entire Western Seas. This one was called Leaf Island, where he was born, raised and a proud student of the local University about three miles from his apartment complex.

Thanks to his parents, god bless their souls, he was able to afford necessities and pay bills without much struggle. It could only cover his schooling, apartment and bills, so the part time job was to was to help with purchasing food and small entertainment.

"Damn," He hissed as the umbrella struggled against the increasing currents. The Weather Channel said the storm was due to hit until a few more hours but it felt like it'd already made landfall. His car was out of commission for the next week, so he'd been roughening it for the past three days, hiking from home, to school, to work, than home.

Tugging the collar of his orange and navy blue rain coat, Naruto came to a stop at an intersection waiting for his turn to cross the street. He looked from side to side for any cars but with it being this late, he doubted anyone would come cruising pass. He trotted acrosss, muggy water smacking under his Reeboks.

Naruto gripped his coat tighter. This storm was something serious. Just as he rounded a corner, he felt a stir in his left pocket and sighed. Right on time as usual. It never ceased to amaze him that his best friend had this knack for knowing Naruto was coming home late. Naruto reached down and slid his thumb across the screen, "Talk to me."

There was a rough grunt before Naruto lifted the phone from his ear. The booming voice rattled his eardrums even from a foot away, "_You know I'm within my rights—no my civic duty to kick your ass, right? Where the hell are you? Tiki closed thirty minutes ago!"_

"Calm down," Naruto said, unable to keep the attitude out of his voice. "We had some late customers tonight. You know how it is on Karaoke Wednesday."

"_Call me crazy, but I was under the impression that the bar had a no drinking after eleven policy and_," Naruto assumed his roommate was checking the clock to emphasize a further point and he was right when Kiba came back enraged. "_Jesus man, really? It's close to midnight_!"

"What? What, I had no idea," Naruto sarcastically grumbled. "If you're so worried, why didn't you pick me up from work huh? Something wrong with your car?"

Silence.

Well, well someone had a guilt trip. "_Look dude, that's beside the point. Gas is three dollars and fifty four cents. I've been putting twenty in that tank for five years and I'm not straying off routine. Learn to stay green_."

"Uh huh."

_"Do I detect an attitude? Kid, I'd advise you take the bass outta your voice. I swear this ain't what you want. I'm being the responsible friend. I'm at home and you? You're out there probably hanging with crack heads and drug dealers or some shit."_

"If you give me fifteen minutes I'll be walking through the door with a bag of burgers and fries. How's that for an apology?"

_". . . Don't try to sweet talk me man. Stupid ass, trying to bribe me with burgers and shit,"_ Kiba's voice died off for a while with useless grumbles and aimless batter about crazy blonds. "_Fine, make all three of mine doubles. Extra pickles, extra onions, extra ketchup, extra fast."_

Naruto looked at the phone like it just sprouted fungus, "You got any _extra _money? Shit Kiba, I got thirty bucks on me."

_"Hey, hey, hey, you shut the hell up. No lip! Just get my shit and bring your ass home!"_

"Yes mama."

"_That's right because mama knows best, ya dick!_"

The phone hung up before Naruto could retort.

Naruto would've chunked his phone if he didn't think his friend meant well. Kiba cared for his wellbeing but shoot give the blond some credit. He wasn't a bulky body builder but he wasn't in the skinny department either. He could handle himself in a scrap.

Kiba just had this thing for protecting him since they were in elementary school. Unlike most of their classmates, Naruto hadn't reached his average height and ended up being bullied until Kiba showed up like a mini Freddy and went to dishing out ass whooping's for everybody. Even when Naruto matured and earned a rep of his own, old habits refused to die. Kiba still worried all the way up to college level and then some.

Now in order to keep his ears from bleeding, Naruto had to make a beeline to the closest burger joint. Luckily for him the Five Guys and Fries remained open past midnight so he could order his stuff and hit the road before the storm hit.

He hurried his pace, grasping his umbrella and school supplies tighter and powerwalked to the café in record timing. A pink haired, green eyed girl wearing the red and yellow striped polo uniform looked up from her register and offered a kind smile. "Welcome to Five Guys, how may I serve you today sir?'

Naruto shook off his umbrella, beaming off his Colgate grin, "Gimme a sec, sweetheart." He placed all his items on a nearby table, while scanning the overhead menu, "I'll get three number fives with extra pickles, onions and ketchup, two large fries, two number nines without lettuce, an extra-large fry and it's all to go."

"No drinks?" She questioned, typing in the entire order.

"Nah, just the food."

"Ok that'll be twenty nine seventeen."

Goddamn, Kiba owned him for this. Naruto cursed the bastard from the top of his pointy chocolate hair to the size eleven shoes. Three tens were retrieved from the blonde's and didn't bother asking for the change.

"So," the girl began casually, looking up to him through her curly lashes, dimples winking shyly from her cheekbones. "Do you come here often?"

"Not really," Naruto returned, taking his receipt. "I used too though."

"Really? I don't remember seeing you here. I'd remember someone as cute as you," She teased, giggling. "Maybe I can persuade you to come around more. You know, just to talk sometimes or hang out." Pinky suddenly popped her hand to her mouth, seeming to have missed something and she bonked herself on the head. "Oops, I didn't think to ask if you had a girlfriend? . . . Do you?"

Naruto had to give—he squinted at her nametag—Sakura Haruno, yeah her. He had to give her credit for effort. "Nah baby, I'm single. I don't have a girl waiting for me at home."

"Oh, that's too bad," Sakura lowered her eyelids, leaning forward to say in a hush, hush tone. "Someone like you shouldn't have to walk the streets all alone at night. I get off in an hour if you're willing to wait."

Naruto shook his head, "Baby, you're cute, sexy, got a bomb ass body and a pretty face, but I'm gonna have to respectfully decline. You know with the whole celibacy thing and all." It went deeper than that, but Naruto didn't need to explain himself to anyone. He'd hope that'd deter her interest.

"I can make it worth your while," Was her tempting offer, hand easing across the counter to grasp a hold of Naruto's elbow. _She asked for this punishment_, declared Naruto. He couldn't resist leaning in as well for added tease. "So what do you say?"

A smile cracked wide enough to split a city block, "I don't think my kind of vanilla is your flavor. I'm 22 with 7 years of dick riding under my belt and plenty of know how when it comes playing leap frog. Now unless you're willing to masturbate to a game of football or wrestling, we don't have much to discuss."

Naruto said it so seriously, Sakura was stuck between laughing and staring, gapped mouth. She chuckled, "I'm sorry what are you saying?"

It was always hard breaking their hearts this way. Oh well, she wants it straight forward, "I'm saying, ya gonna own those," He pointed at her chest. "And this," he pointed down at his crotch. "To hang with me."

"Oh my. . ."

Oh my, indeed. One of the backroom cooks came out holding Naruto's grease stained bag, and with a thinned expression that said he'd heard enough to scar him for life. "Here you are," The man said in a clipped voice without as much as a '_come back soon_.'

Naruto didn't care. He is what he is. By no means was he the kind of bisexual that went around spreading hippie love, wearing hearts and parading his business out in the streets, nor was he undercover. It was hard to explain but when it boiled down to it he basically a normal bisexual. Only thing was, he was more intrigued with the lumps in a boy's britches, rather than in a girl's draws; but he still liked titties.

Did that make sense?. . . Yeah it did in his book.

Naruto grabbed his meals, then ducked back into the rain with a lovely smile on his face and wink tossed to the dark haired gentlemen behind the counter.

The storm was getting worst. Naruto guesstimated he had another thirty minutes before the storm's edge reached the island. Winds were picking up to at least forty miles per hour and light poles were suffering the blunt of increasing winds.

That was probably why when Naruto heard vicious growling he couldn't distinguish the sounds f from an animal or the gurgling weather. He paused and listened, lips grimly thinned, turning from side to side to checking for danger. There was none, but the howling came back right as the wind swirled past. It resonated from the gap between two brown stone buildings he'd pasted by just a moment ago. His ears picked up many different sounds this time around; a high pitched growl and one lower, followed by raspy grunts.

Odd.

It was going to go against his better judgment to investigate, but hey you only live once right?

Naruto quietly padded over to the hollowed junction, twisting his fingers around his umbrella in case someone wanted to jump stupid. The lighting around this area of town was poor so he had to rely on the crackles of lightning to illuminate the alley.

He risked a peek and quickly slammed his back against the wall when a trash bin came flying around the corner, followed by a large dark figure, streaking the sidewalk. Black was all Naruto saw before the body jolted back to life and dove back inside the ally where the horror proceeded. Violent crashes and thunderous snarls raced back and forth between the shadowy silhouettes.

It was hard to keep count of how many people were in there. Five or six from the sounds of it. Naruto hunkered down to the sodden pavement, eyes narrowed and waited. This was none of his business and the smarter side of him was demanding he take his ass home and take Kiba's cussing out, instead. However there was this irrational side that refused to let him leave.

Another high pitched shriek came followed by a ricocheting trash top, bouncing off the walls. The silver disc rammed the head of one of the assailants and he went down. Naruto leaned in and trained his gaze the best he could on two of them back to back. There were four others surrounding them, one of which was picking himself up from the ground after being punched in the kisser.

The enemy crew lunged at the pair and with tired attempts the defending duo managed to clock two but became overwhelmed. The taller of the two buckled under pressure and fell to his knees, catching a fast kick that finished his trip to the ground. His partner retaliated by delivering a swift elbow to the gut to the one that kicked his partner. That's when things got extra messy.

The remaining three fighters ganged up on the slender shadow and Naruto actually flinched when he heard the fist-to-nose connection. Something cracked. There was no way it wasn't broken.

Another hit came and a rough gasp, hurled from the victim's mouth. He went down hard, gripping his stomach. Naruto assumed that'd be the end but it only got worse when the raiders began kicking and stomping on the losers. That should've been enough for they kept at it.

Naruto got angry. There was a code to abide by in these streets and these fools weren't following it.

Win the battle then get loss. You never kick a man while he's down. Fucking shame he had to be the one to rehearse this lesson. The beat of warm rain soaked through Naruto's graphic tee, molding to impressive muscles, as he removed his raincoat and used it to cover the food and textbooks. With a matching hardcore smile to boot, he pushed back his sleeves and stepped out.

It was on now. "Yo!" He shouted, appearing at the entrance of the ally.

He'd never been the type to fight fair when his opponents didn't. Fuck that honor code bullshit. He came sprinting past metal bins and discarded debris, arm drawn back, landing a wicked blow to the one to his left. Naruto's sudden appearance left the others too stunned to counter his round-house kick another one's groin. The second one went down with ease.

The other two recovered faster, charging forward. Naruto caught one of their fists before it sent him flying into the wall and twisted it around, listening to the sickening snap of bone and muscle. The man's howl of pain momentarily distracted Naruto from the fourth villain tackling him from the side and straight into the wall. The impact left him breathless but he was back on his feet in no time.

Light on his shoes, Naruto shuffled his feet on the ground, fists rose, and cocky grin in full effect. "Come on, come on." He loved fighting, be it for good or bad intentions. The blood rush, adrenaline flow in his veins and unpredictability, got him dizzy with joy. So sue him for having masochistic fetishes.

Too bad he could only see these guys outlined. It added to the pleasure when he could visually see whose ass he was kicking. "Shit—almost got me, Biggie!" Naruto taunted, dipping and dodging one of the bigger fellow's meaty assaults. Naruto ducked underneath a coming punch and fell back to ram his knee into his other's ribs.

Naruto blocked a rapid fist, but being the single fighting machine he was, could not—with extreme emphasis— could not rumble with three coming at him at once. He was held by two and the third took pathetic pleasure in firing his belly with blow for blow. Naruto felt the powerful pain crushing nasty, sour chunks out of his stomach. He counted a total of three right hooks to the jaw and two solid punches to his gut until relief came confusingly by darkness.

No he hadn't fainted.

Real jet black came out of nowhere and started slashing at the one who'd been pistoling hits in his gut. And then there was blood. Lots of red came tearing from the sides and Naruto felt the spittle of the warm fluid coming from the enemy as well as his own mouth. The two that'd been holding him were ripped away and faced a barrage of attacks. They came quick, Naruto wasn't sure how fast or if he was dreaming, but by the time it was over, he was sitting on his ass, staring at the two winners standing over their prey and breathing louder than a train.

He stared and it seemed they did too. Thank God those assholes didn't get to his eyes because he wanted to see who his miraculous saviors were. It was getting darker, the clouds pregnant with water and lightning no longer enough to be his flashlight to the darkness. What little vision he had stayed trained on the two.

The slender, taller one with what looked like very long hair cascading down his back, sighed harshly and suddenly collapsed.

Naruto's eyebrows rose past his hairline when the other turned to look at him and Naruto nearly pissed himself dry when the lightning struck and it created this luminous flash of crimson coming from the stranger's eyes.

Yeah. . . he wouldn't freak out. Nope, no he wouldn't. The crazy ones always got killed first.

"What's up?" Uzumaki greeted with casual maturity. He thought it best to play nice with the mean people.

Then the red eyed person started to walk toward him, making it only three feet until he too, dropped to his knees and landed in a puddle.

Well shit.

A slight frown bunched Naruto's forehead as he tilted his head and debated on whether he should tap the fallen comrades with his foot. Just to see if they were alive, of course. He should've been taking his ass home but stupidity overruled common sense. Naruto shifted to the balls of his heels and stood up, stopping and kneeling by the person's side. He knew the basics for first aid and reached out to feel around for injuries.

A large callous hand darted out and gripped his wrist hard enough to crack bone. The dark one's head lifted and a command followed, "Get the fuck away from me," The rumbling voice rolled to the pit of Naruto's stomach like a tumbling beehive.

"See, I really would," Naruto smirked, softly pulling his wrist free. "But I got this bad habit of helping folks who help me, even if they don't want it."

"Tough," the voice grunted, coughing and trying on a stronger note. "I'm not asking for your help."

"Too bad, cause I'm offering it anyway." Naruto really wished it wasn't so dark. He wanted to match a face to that voice. "Hold still," he leaned over and hooked his hands underneath the man's armpits—he blinked once, squeezed, then blinked twice. "The fuck?"

Why did it feel like he was touching house shoes? Naruto's frown gradually transformed into a concentrated scowl as his fingertips traveled up fuzzy ropes of muscle and onward to powerfully sculpted biceps—he squeezed—oh, those were thick and hairy as hell.

Naruto bit his bottom lip, leaning back on his heels confused. The figure shifted painstakingly on his side, red eyes a glow, "Get lost," he grouched, snatching away from the probing points. "I don't need your—"

Lightning flashed wildly in the sky above, brilliantly stealing away the dark for a full ten seconds. It was all the time Naruto needed to see what he'd just touched.

He first remembered that face pale as vanilla yogurt. Slanted red eyes became back under the lightning. Slick tangles of ebony hair clung to the side of that angled face like drizzles of spilled oil. There was fur . . . fur that was smooth, glassy sleek from the base of his neck down the entirety of his back, ending beneath the hem of its denim jeans. What probably captivated Naruto the most during those ten seconds were long, very long narrowly pointed ears jutting out the sides of the man's head, ending with tuffs of spitting hair.

By the time the show was over, the man—person—thing, had fallen unconscious again, leaving Naruto with a world of questions and the urge to learn more.

Boy . . . was Kiba going to get a kick out of this.


	2. Confusion

**Author's Rant:** You guys . . . damn ya'll just rock my nuggets. Enjoy the next chapter babes.

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**Confusion**

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Kiba was pissed; pissed and hungry. Here it was damn near close to one o'clock in the morning and instead of a well stacked burger in his palm, he was boringly stabbing the buttons on his controller stick, eyes glazed from starvation.

Fuck them ramen noodles in a cup because they weren't hitting much of nothing but a dusty stomach.

Kiba sucked his teeth around a worn through toothpick, switching it from one corner to the other, irritated. The purple plush pillow cushioned under his ass, no longer held that fluff support it used to. He blamed it on Naruto for having him sit there for three hours playing this game over and over again. There was literally a tattooed print of Kiba's plaid boxers stamped firmly on the pillow, split right down the middle.

Lounged in nothing but a gray wife beater and his black and red boxers, Kiba rolled over to his side, chunking the controller stick. Something broke in the distance and he hoped to God it belonged to Naruto.

Did he give three shades of shit? Hell no. Why? Because he was hotter than the devil's crotch.

All he'd asked was for is for Naruto to come home at a decent hour and if he was going to run late, to pick up the phone and call. It was too easy. It was like the blond intentionally did this kind of shit just to push Kiba into these lectures.

What he needed was a nice, icy glass of Scotch aged beyond his years. It was moments like this he wished he hadn't promised Naruto he'd stop drinking as much as he used too. The sizzling trickle of liquid bronze always sent his balls into a sensual crinkle, just before the orgasmic scorch would drain his throat dry. It tasted so good, and was so wrong.

Fuck it. If Naruto was entitled to pissing him off, Kiba was allowed a handicap. He stood and went straight for the kitchen to the confiscated stash below the cabinets. Kiba knew he shouldn't be taking this, but ask if he gave a shit? He'd give all who questioned his actions the same answer.

A quick flip off his middle finger and if he was in a real good mood, he'd give the verbal _fuck off_ too.

Kiba poured the lukewarm liquor into a short glass and downed the first shot with the ease of an expert. "Holy hell," he wheezed around the toiling broil. All the tense cords in his muscles loosened into limp mush as the calming effects washed over him. Kiba's attitude immediately chilled, his body was harmonically relaxed and just as he was thinking of giving Naruto a second chance, he heard keys jangling and bumping at the front door.

Kiba frowned, downing his third shot before stashing his collection back in the cubby hole, straightening out his mild buzz and replacing it with a scrunched up scowl. He was about to ride all up in Naruto's ass today.

Kiba rounded the corner, mouth formed in a wrinkle horizontal. He opened his mouth and before he could let loose the slew of curse words, Naruto tumbled through the doorway, wet and completely covered from head to toe in black and red. "Just where in the hell have you been man? Five Guys is two blocks down—" Kiba blinked. Now that he could fully see his friend, Naruto wasn't hidden under a raincoat like Kiba assumed. No, the blond was lying on the ground, soaked to the bone and on his back were two large sized— _some things._

Kiba went wild, "Jesus, shit!" he shouted, going for the closest thing in arm reach.

A wooden broomstick; and he'll use this damn thing if pushed to it too. Kiba was shocked to the point of pissing the carpet as his eyes slowly took in the three figures laid in his open doorway, with the hollowing winds and bitch-slapping sheets of rain soaking his carpet.

This was the most bizaare shit he'd ever seen. There were limbs covered in oily black and sleek-like and shiny scarlet covering Naruto's back like a bad crime scene. Arms, legs, and hair was scattered in every direction and—Kiba took a deep breath and stepped forward— was he imaging those ears on top of those guy's heads right?

He inched closer, about ten feet away with cushion barrier in between him and the freaks, broom at the ready, "Naruto," he hissed. "Naruto fuck, please don't be dead." There was a distinct smell of funk drifting off their bodies; fresh rain, dirty piles of garbage and blood. He'd always had a sensitive nose, so with all this foreign terror intruding on his lands, it was a big no, no.

He could determine how to get these two out later. Right now, he needed to focus all his attention on easing his dead or alive friend away from what looked to be over three hundred pounds of combined hair, thick muscles and legs corded over totally solid frames. There was not a shred of fat on either of these—things—so if either of them tried to big-boy Kiba, he was going to be tossed around like a salad topping.

Nope. He liked living his life just fine, thank you. Too bad. Looked like Naruto might be on his own for this one, "Psst," Lord forgive him for abandoning his friend, but the situation calls for someone to carry on. "Yo, Naruto." Kiba looked around for something small and efficient to throw. He came up short for the first three seconds of scouring the living room until finding the discarder controller stick.

He scurried over to it and snatched it off the carpet floor. When he made it back to his safety post, Kiba hunkered down behind the couch and threw the tool like a grenade and ducked down. There was a loud thump and an incoherent grunt to follow. Some muffling and shifts occurred too, than nothing. Nothing but silence, broken by the weather.

Kiba waited, fingers tightening around his only means of protection. Silence could only be reassuring for so long.

Taking a huge gulp of air and exhaling it out, Kiba lowered further to his knees and supported himself up on his right hand while the other held the stick out like a knight prepared to gut the enemy. Kiba was shaking as bad as a leaf as his maple brown eyes peeked around the edge of the couch to see.

Emerald green eyes instantly connected to Kiba's. That glare was lethal and promising of a savage murder.

Kiba nearly pissed his pants staring into those slanted eyes and slammed his back against the couch, eyes as wide as dinner plates. In his mind, Kiba calculated the cases of him hurdling over their bodies to freedom, but soon doused that idea when remembering their apartment was three stories above concrete. He'd be leaping to his death. "Fuck, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die. Shit, I ain't got time for this," he whined, twisting his broom stick tighter. "Listen, I ain't got beat against you. If you want to live, I suggest you get out before I dish out ass whoopings and trust, it won't be nothin' pretty." Cool threat for someone hiding behind a couch, but hell the predicament was understandable.

A rough cough, "Who— just who the hell ya talking to like that, kid?" A voice deeper than the Atlantic Ocean, said.

"_Who?_ That _who_ would be you, Freak." Kiba shot back a little braver. "This is my house, my bills, all this is mine. You and your friend covered in pubs are intruding on private property! Now hurry and make that stage right before I get the police in here!"

There was a disbelieving pause and evil chuckle, "Like I give a shit about some cops." The slick red guy rolled on his side, cupping his clawed palm over his brow. "Shit, I got a headache."

"There's a convenient store across town that sells stuff for that!" Kiba hollered over.

The red head shot a dirty look at the leather couch, but said nothing as he painstakingly shifted on to a crossed legged position. The hand around his forehead came back mixed with sweat, dirt and if he could squint close enough, could distinguish the lush of thick blood patted on his red pelt. "Motherfucka' got me good," He rudely grumbled.

Now he was talking to himself. Kiba had plenty of reason to be worried now. In case he did make it out of this alive, he needed to get a good description on his killer. So let's see what we're working with here.

Kiba grimly peered around the couch, paralyzed to his ass as he took in all he was up against. This man-thing or person was crouched down Indian style. There was hair the color of slippery wine running in a fluke squished all around his honey tanned face. The hair continued wormed all a thick set of board shoulder blades. He had scars navigating off his right eyebrow, descending down to a pointed chin and a solid throat, disappearing beneath a white V-neck tee. Mr. Red's bulky arms were laced from bicep to triceps with coiling rows of muscle. The rain did this man a great honor of suction-cupping his flimsy thermal to chiseled pectorals and washboard divided abs. Shit, and when it came to the long lithe crossed legs, those thighs were enormous; like he'd been running all his life.

What the . . . were those long pointy things coming out the side of his head really ears? A check blinke said they were. So they were real ears. Both were wine red and tipped white.

Ok, he was officially freaked.

Kiba wasn't going to risk a damn thing going against that. Kiba kept studying every detail until his gaze traveling up and connected with half lidded eyes, colored like river water. Kiba tasseled back against the couch, horrified. "Red, you ain't into eatin' humans are ya?" A shaky hand waved frantically from afar before the person connected to it emerged wearily again. "I guarantee you that chicken rumor is bullshit."

Scarlet Public Enemy stared, brows scrunched into a tight scowl.

No answer. Kiba declared his his foe's friendly way of saying _don't fuck with me_. "Ok, awesome, so if it's alright with you—" Kiba stopped midway from standing around the couch when a hacking cough tingly with the nasally similarity to a certain blond, came muffing through.

Oh God please say Naruto was waking up. Kiba looked over. Naruto was indeed twitching. His head levitated for a split second before wetly smacking back to the tiny corner of tile floor in front of the door.

Was he about to go unconscious again? Hell no. "Naruto, wake up you idiot!"

Naruto paused, stiffly rolling his head in an angle where Kiba could make out his electric blue eyes grinning from ear to ear. That bastard had some nerve.

Naruto inhaled and blew it out like he'd just run a hundred meter sprint. "Morning Kiba," Uzumaki looked at black body on his back and then to the crimson thigh in his line of vision. Oh yeah, almost forgot. "You still hungry? I still got the food. Its out there, shit uh, yeah its somewhere," Probably washed away to another continent by now.

"Am I hung—forget that!" Feeling several shades of yellow stripping off his spine, Kiba boldly rose to full height, eyeing the green eyed villain who looked twice as freaky up close then he did from a distance. "The hell man, don't go bringing strange shit in here when you barely pay rent!"

Naruto somehow managed to pull his body free, then jackknifed himself to his feet, mildly wobbly but steady nonetheless. "I had too Kiba. I got into a scrap downtown."

"Say what? With who?"

"Some thugs probably from D.I.P. I saw them jumping these two. They were fightin' dirty—ouch, stupid!" Naruto snapped when his hair was tugged, forcing his face from one side to the other while Kiba studied over the bruises.

Naruto glared and Kiba lazily threw one right back. "They must've knocked you hard in the head."

"Why? You see some purple?"

"Nah," Kiba roughly shoved the blonde's head to the side. "You came in here with two strange things without thinking. Pretty sure head injury is somewhere in the mix."

"Tsk," Red noisily voiced, rolling his shoulders, using the doorframe as his crutch to stand. "Can't believe they talking like I'm not here."

Kiba's eyes grew impossibly wide as did Naruto's when there didn't seem to be an end to this guy's height.

"Holy shit!" Naturally Kiba felt threatened because between him and Naruto, Kiba was the tallest. So he had a lawful reason to panic when this person was a full foot taller. And that was enough surprises for Kiba Inuzuka tonight. He clasped his hands together casually, rocking back and forth on his heels, "Ok, so this is what's gonna happen," He looked at Naruto. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen a phone. I'm going to break records dialing nine-one-one. By the time I come back, you," he pointed to blond one, "will have my food sitting at the table so I can properly cuss you out. And you," he directed to the red one. "And that thing with the combed pussy," then to the still slumbering black one, "will happily roll up outta here before I catch a case."

Red looked Kiba up and down, "Who the hell you think are?" His baritone voice rumbled in their stomachs like a constipated warning. "Am I supposed to be scared?"

Kiba wasn't intimidated this time, "Don't worry Soldier; you ain't gotta be scared but I'll have the cops hauling your ass out in a sec. Just sit tight, they'll come."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Kiba . . ."

"Don't _Kiba_ me," The brunette shot off. "You came up in here with Big Foot Jim and Pussy Lick Bob, than expect me to be calm? You're lucky I didn't turn this place up!" Kiba turned to glare one on one with the taller man, deadlocked in a heated stare that could melt metal. "The fuck you staring at?"

"Do what?" Green eyes widened, then dangerously narrowed something serious as in two short strides the man thing killed all hopes of personal space, menacingly less than an inch from Kiba's face, noses tapping and hot air trading, "I will drop you six feet under, kid. I don't know what ya beef is with _me_ but I suggest you grill it and eat it fast, cause I ain't the one."

"Ho, ho, ho," Kiba chuckled humorlessly, cocky smirk in gear. "Dude, you got about five seconds to get out of my face, before I deliver a beat down."

"Then leap baby frog."

Kiba bumped chests, and spread his arms, "Bring it on Abominable Snow Bitch."

"It's been brought!"

Fortunately for both parties, Naruto had enough energy to referee. He pressed a palm to his friend's chest, and Red's, squeezing between them. "Both of you need to calm the fuck down. Ain't any of us got reason to be hostile. So what's the deal?"

Kiba's face went slack, morphing to a confused expression. The other opponent simply stared at the blond with a blank look. Neither had nothing to say, opting to stare at the floor instead of facing Naruto's sudden mother hen gesture, hands on his hips and foot tapping impatiently.

"Hello? What, cat got your tongue?" Naruto snapped, prissily.

All eyes drifted to the floor where a very wet and very hurt hairy person still laid in the gapping doorway. Naruto looked up, from left to right. When all he received was stubborn silence, he rolled his eyes, and tossed his hand in the air, "Fuck it. Do what you want," He turned on his heel and trotted back to the limp black body, hooking his arms underneath fuzzy armpits and started dragging him down the hall. "Kill each other for all I give a shit." He grunted, leaving the two behind to settle matters however they pleased.

The red haired fiend paused, cocking his head to the side at the retreating blond carrying away his comrade.

"I can't believe this," Kiba's gruffly said. He whisked past Red, shutting the door tight from the monstrous typhoon, butchering up the town outside. Squeezing his hands over his nose, Kiba inhale and exhaled harshly, counting to ten backwards and forwards to compose himself into a kinder, more tolerable person. Out the corner of his eye, he sized up the other man with a scrutinizing—very cautious—eye before saying, "Get out in the morning, but until then don't look at my shit, don't touch shit and if it looks like shit, it's my shit. Capeesh?"

He didn't get a reply. Of course not. Why would he expect to get one from this overgrown, pussy haired baboon?

"Hmmm. . ."

He found out why when the man touched a hand to his leaking brow, looked to Kiba with a mile wide grin, then tumbling over in a large heap of crimson.

Kiba's mouth hit the floor, "Ah damn it." Who was going to clean this thing up? And . . . was that a tail?

* * *

The journey from the living room to the spare middle room was straining. Hauling over seventy five percent of sodden flesh and hairs could break anyone as skinny as Naruto. Naruto could only gulp back controlled breathes when the blossom of warm air fanned across his ears from his patient. Nothing but raw, hot flesh was pressed into Naruto's soggy clothes like super glue. For every time he had to stop and hike the man thing on his back, a subtle friction molded made of juicy pectorals and plump abdominals.

Please, _pleassse_, don't let him be turned on by a nonhuman thingy. It needed to be at least half way normal before Naruto could mess with it.

And long sleek ear things kept flapping the side of Naruto's neck. Out the corner of his eye, Naruto saw nothing but milk white profile and slightly parted chap lips. They needed to be licked moist.

_Focus. Focus, come on boy, focus._

Naruto made it with half his sanity, kicking the door open and side stepping inside. A dull jerk launched his victim onto the spare bed awkwardly. The landing stirred him a little out of his comatose state. Naruto stared at him for a minute, lips touted before he carefully fixed the man on his back spread eagle.

Now taking in all he couldn't make out before in the pitch dark, Naruto examined every inch of the exposed body parts. Interestingly, in the areas where there was face, neck, chest muscles and stomach, none of the hair seemed to grow. It looked completely smooth and polished slick from the rainfall. Both hands and feet were tipped with claws and even more fascinating to Naruto still were those long angular ears jutting out both sides of his head. Those things had to be at least four or five inches, skinny towards the top and wider at the base.

Then Naruto's mouth opened as he spied another important piece of equipment attached, lifelessly dangling off the side of the bed. It was slender, and the same tone of black as the rest of this thing's body. Now correct him if he was wrong but with an added tail . . . this man reminded him of . . . shit of a cat or something close to it.

"You're just one big ole freak aren't ya?" Naruto quietly deduced. How this would turn out when this thing woke up, would be the fun mystery to solve. Naruto sauntered over, pulling his shirt over his head and whipping it across the room like a lasso. It squished somewhere in the corner, followed by drenched tennis shoes and water heavy pants.

He needed a shower like yesterday. Smelling of alcohol, dirt and blood didn't sit well with Naruto in the least. He prided himself on being a clean individual as much as he could manage, so being caught up in this state of disgustingness didn't sit well with him. In the back of his mind as he strolled to the connecting bathroom of this room, he wondered if he should clean the cat thing off with a wash cloth or just throw him in the stall and let the shower head take it from there.

No. No, that wouldn't do. This thing smelled like age old shit from the B.C. era. It's probably been days since he had a proper wash off.

_Sniff._

Mm-Mm. Hell no. Scratch that. It must've been weeks. That odor could peel steel paint. Naruto walked into the medium bathroom, to take a quick shower. After thoroughly scrubbing today's mess off, he went to the wall pantry for a terry towel to dry off with. He changed into a dry pair of pajamas and came out carrying a small pink bucket of hot water and lavender/ jasmine scented body wash.

He hoped Kiba didn't mind him using his favorite soap. It was for a good cause after all.

The bed was dressed with orange and blue plaid patterns along with matching pillows and skirt around the mattress. It was reduced to dollar store merchandise with all the stains of blood and dirt and water staining all over.

Again this was for a good cause, Naruto mentally chimed, soaking the washcloth with water and wringing it of the excess. He leaned forward and by the slowest degrees, dabbed at the creature's hairline first. By the time he'd finished with just the neck-up portion, the rag came back a whole different color of dingy brown and red. Naruto stood in order to reach the furthest parts. Some wounds were infected. He didn't think these came from _that_ fight. No, they were too clotted and badly matted. They looked to be about a couple of days old.

He was real curious now. For every gash and tear on this thing's body, Naruto kind of wondered how they'd gotten there. As if each scar had a story of its own. With a pelt this oily sheened, the rag practically danced across it like wiping off glass windows. Naruto swiped his hand over it, testing it between his thumb and index. He could peel an inch of fur up. It was soft.

It'd taken Naruto about twenty minutes to clean the upper section, having to change the water out twice before he returned to continue on with his duties. A small cut around the right eyebrow reopened on the man's head and out spilled a skinny trickle of blood. Naruto flattened the rag under its descent, hand accidentally cupping the side of the cat person's face.

He froze, stunned silent when his palm was nudged into. The face leaned against him carefully, a soft, motor engine purr barreling from the bottom of his throat. Naruto chuckled. A cat indeed.

The difficult part eventually surfaced like a bad case of morning sickness, when it came to the private extremities. Naruto cleansed and touched up around the rim of loosely fitted jeans, never daring to venture any lower. But if he was going to clean this cat person right, he needed to get in there right? Right.

But if he was honest with himself, he was a little curious. Who wouldn't want to investigate to see if there was hair completely all around?

Naruto dried his hands on the side of his pants, scooting forward. He kept his eyes on the cat man, while his hands went to work carefully working the bronze button through the loop. It was difficult making sure he didn't come off as a molester of the injured. Naruto had gotten the button unlatched and shyly grasped the tip of the zipper, easing it down. The triangle of black trail opened like the gates to a sinful heaven as more and more as less fur and more skin appeared.

Then a hand darted out, grinding the bone of his wrist in a teeth clenching containment. "Easy," Naruto cautioned, leaning away to look into accusing sable eyes. "It ain't what it looks like."

Black narrowed small, "Bullshit." Gracious that voice; hot and steamy as the first sip of hot chocolate on a cold evening. Those same effects warmed the pits of Naruto's stomach beautifully. "What the hell are you doing?"

Naruto snapped his eyes away from the naughty places when the digits around his hand squeezed, "I'm just cleaning you off. That's all. I mean no harm." Wrenching his arm free, Naruto stood from the edge of the bed, placing a safety perimeter between himself and the hostile character before him.

As the fellow made to sit up, the world spun and down he went, stomach disagreeing with him terribly. "Shit," he sneered, pressing his palm to stomach.

Naruto took a step forward, "Not so fast, alright? You took a blow to the gut bad. You're gonna be weak for a while."

_Weak . . . Weak . . . No._

Something almost visibly snapped before the cat man's in untamed gaze. Naruto's lips gapped open in astonishment as the person fought his way to his feet with staggering strength.

The man walked to the door, then to the window. He needed to get out of here. He was lost. He felt trapped. Everything was spinning out of control. _Where the hell was he?_ He thought aimlessly in the tumbling world of swaying colors.

Nearly losing balance through this wild episode, he clumsily swayed on his heels, with only his sheer will of determination keeping him standing. _Leave, _his instincts demanded. _Leave now._ This was unfamiliar terrain. He didn't know any of this. His blood boiled to get to where he knew best. Anywhere where he would have the advantaged.

The ground suddenly pulled from under his feet and the world swooshed in a rapid slideshow. He'd expected to fall against that loud clang of rocks and dirt as he'd done so many times before.

Only this time he didn't feel any of that. What captured him was a soft, warm support cuffed around his waist, holding him afloat. The iron hard pressure forced a hiss from his lips, gaze slipping through the curtain of black, blocking his view from sky rival eyes. Raising his head, the hair shifted to the side revealing more of his unwanted savior.

"I got you," Naruto promised gently, tugging him back towards the bed.

"No," came the desperate disapproval, but his body betrayed him by leaning fully on the offered crutch, a full head shorter than him. This was surreal. So damningly confusing. "Why, what do you want from me?"

"Only to help."

It was the last words he remembered before blacking out.

* * *

Darkness. He was in and out of it for some time. Memories of how or when were forgotten. The current here and now, vaguely comprehended. Tenderness feathered all over in tidal waves; some long lasting and others short lived. He found himself reaching out to that gentle touch sometimes.

It felt nice. As did the calming voice he could hear speaking.

He couldn't remember actually speaking back to this human at any time. It was pure delirium. "Name."

Naruto paused, from where he had the creature's bicep in his hand and a ball of bandage wrapping, "Naruto." He murmured indifferently. "Naruto Uzumaki."

_Naruto Uzumaki. _

"What do you go by?"

Golden silence followed that question. Not from lack of etiquette, but confusion. The creature didn't understand it, being in this mocked reality. Nothing made sense. None of it. His head hurt, as did his stomach. He wondered how he'd gotten here in the first place and . . . why, why this human was caring for him like this. He didn't smell like the others did. His body odor was different, strangely different. Like buttered noodles and maple syrup.

Interesting.

Eyes so deeply hued with the color of soil, studied over his caretaker for a while before he dubbed him no kind of threat. By the time the question was answered, Naruto had long forgotten he'd asked.

"Sasuke. It's Sasuke."

* * *

_**TBC: Kiba, gotta love that bastard.**_


	3. Cold Rebellion

**Author's Rant:** Sorry guys. The red creature isn't Gaara lol_. Enjoy ^_^_

* * *

**Cold Rebellion**

* * *

"It's been three days, kid. They gotta go."

"We can't Kiba."

"Why not?"

"It's raining cats and dogs, Kiba."

A pause, "Shouldn't they feel at home then?"

Naruto opened his mouth to try another convincing approaching, but after seeing the tense ripples outlining Kiba's jaw, he closed it and went back to his three textbooks and barely legible handwriting. He considered chic- handwriting to be for those who had way too much time on their hands during class sessions. It wasn't as if they were being graded on neatness when it came to notes. As long as you could read this chicken scratch it was all good.

Three whole days of back and forth between Kiba and Naruto about the creatures and spent two of those days was spent without electricity, using old fashioned flashlights. The island has come across being in this sort of situation many times in the past because of unsuspecting typhoons, and vicious gales ripping the island apart. That storm from before? It had actually been a baby storm waiting for the right opportunity to evolve into Hurricane Senji and he was laying a wicked handstand on the streets and beaches.

Every school was canceled on grounds of demanded evacuations from massive flooding. The wind damage clashed against glassy surfaces. There was harsh thunder rattling the city's teeth like tap shoes, and lightning bolts playing connect-the-people. This general location was in due for some rough weather for the next couple of days. In the meantime, Kiba and Naruto counted their blessings. There was additional time to catch up on late assignments and studying for upcoming exams.

Naruto remembered as a kid, when he had discovered Kiba being his neighbor, how they'd flick their flashlights through the cracks of nailed boards as a tiny game.

Naruto smiled a little at the memory of his good friend. He loved Kiba to death, would give his right hand for the man. Naruto just wanted to do without the issues of Kiba losing his mind and that nasty attitude of his about not letting stray deviants in their home.

Fingers skated across the keyboard like the flips and tosses of a graceful dancer, never missing a blunt beat as Naruto seldom switched his darkly hued eyes from the battery charged laptop to the yellow paged notepad, glowed by a side positioned flashlight. Power level was at fifty four percent. That only left him with a measly twenty minutes if he was that lucky to finish what he was doing.

"I'm serious, Sunshine," Kiba said after a lapsed of silence where Naruto assumed he'd dropped the subject. "We can't afford to keep stowaways. There's barely enough food to last us until the storm's over."

Naruto kept his face buried in the fine print of his Biochemistry book, then switched to his rough draft. Damn he knew he'd missed something, "Since when were you the captain of this ship?" he murmured, jotting down some corrections.

"Since I paid the rent and electric bill in here," Kiba lifted his textbook closer to squint at a paragraph. "Now if there's a problem we can dock this sucker and you walk the deck."

"The cable, water, cellphone and insurance, say I sail on."

"Rock it how you want but you better do something about them because unlike you, my boat doesn't float that way. I get nervous with a bunch of hairy men under the same roof."

Naruto scribbled down an answer he'd missed a few minutes ago that suddenly put him in a better mood. "Think it of this as a science project. You got another five mouths in Vet school. Use some of your know how with helping them get better."

"Vet. Tech," Inuzuka corrected sternly, though with a twinge of annoyance that that was the title bestowed him. "There's nothing in Noble & Genesis 12th Edition about caring for pussy-combed savages." He turned over his shoulder and shouted, "Who happen to have bad attitudes and smart ass mouths!"

"Yelling really shows how much you care," Naruto voiced airily and pure of any telltale signs he was distracted while he reached for his eraser and cleaned off a miscalculated equation. "For real, Kiba," Naruto sat back in his chair. The first breather he'd had in two hours. "Just until they can get on their feet. That's all I'm asking."

Kiba shot a pin pointed glare in Naruto's direction when he recognized that tone. It was channeling all kinds of bad ju ju. He'd cave in, he knew he would. That's because it was so rare Naruto ever asked for anything from his best friend; all favors were within a reasonable effort to achieve and when can Kiba say Naruto's judgments were off? On one hand, zero.

Kiba continued writing down definitions and mumbling words to himself for a long time, until finding a breaking point to get some relief. He sat back as well; lifting his right leg to fit under his left knee, arms relaxed in his lap, "Naruto," was the exasperated drawl. "We don't know jack shit about these guys. Top it off with them being some kind of hairy—" he paused to rephrase freak. "_Mutants, _we're practically giving them the noose to hang us with. How do we know the minute we let our guards down, they won't try something?"

Naruto's neck twisted and rolled over his shoulder blades, tension flared in every knick and nook like a bag of gravel. "We _don't_ know. But all the same, we can't leave strangers out in the elements. What kind of folks we look like making injured men survive in a storm?" He leaned his head back against the car handle, eyes closed as if he could focus so much better finding refuge in the ceiling. He was getting sick of repeating himself on the subject. "There's no moral in that."

"The code of ethics doesn't apply to non-human creatures," Kiba's finger tapped the table surface, emphasizing each word bluntly. "I think I'll sleep just fine knowing my throat won't be slashed at any given moment."

"They won't do that."

"How do you know?"

"I don't!" Naruto finally snapped, head doing the same effects as his voice with both eyes slanted in a deep frown. "Damn it Kiba, if you were placed in my position you'd have done the same thing. Ya don't leave a fallen man in the streets _for no_ reason. That's not how the rules roll on da' streets. Ya know that!" The birthed accent of the islands came tangled in Naruto's vocal cords, thick and excitedly commenced tight. "I ain't about to let a man go dead for nada. So if it's a problem, throw my ass out too, cause I can't do it. I won't."

"Ya know better than to come at me like that. Don't fucking' school me about street cred when I got a bucket load over you. I know da' code better than anybody here. We both know I would never do anything' to jeopardize anybody, but ya gotta think man. Think!" He snipped his words off for effect before an irritated sigh gapped his lips. His cultured background came roaring just as powerful as Naruto's when pushed to the edge. "Shit Naruto. I'm not tryin' ta see ya get hurt or me for that matter."

Naruto relaxed his face then, and rested his elbows on the table, looking at his best friend with dazzling glitter blue. "Trust me. I swear if anything looks shady I'll kick 'em out myself. I'm good for it Kiba. When had you ever had to doubt me?" he smiled. That very same half, crooked smile he gave when knowing his decisions were going to be given a chance to work out. "You mad at me?" He asked a one-sided tense silence.

"Yes, no. Yeah I am. All I wanted was a burger, but nope, you have to come back home with those things. I'm going to hold this against you for as long as I live," Kiba paused a minute, then. "What do you know about them so far?"

"Nothing," Naruto answered honestly with a shrug. "I'm just as lost as you . . . which means if they decide to take either of us out the game, I'll be riding the midnight train to Georgia before you. Scary ass."

"Fuck you Naruto," Kiba dragged out in false anger, tossing his eyes to the ceiling, defeated and pissed at being manipulated so easily.

"You see I would," He winked, pushing from the table counter with mountains of homework and to escape the deadly glare of one Inuzuka. "But you told me your boat can't rock to this rhythm. You can't handle the Titanic baby," Naruto popped a finger to his crotch, than sashayed away, glad he had quick enough reflexes to dodge a pencil lunged from behind.

Kiba threw another one just to be a dick. "Where you going?"

"Going to check on our stowaways," Naruto tossed over his shoulder. It's been two days that they'd been out cold. Maybe he could get some answers from—Sasuke, he said his name was. Nice name. Really nice name. Naruto liked how it lazily relaxed on the pallet of his tongue.

_Sasuke._

Sasuke rose in and out of sleep many times, subconsciously deliberating through the shuffling rows of darkness. For brief instances, he tried to will enough strength to open his eyes, but in the end, the comforts of rest won. The way his body molded and curved into this plush surface seduced him in a state of complete relaxation. When was the last time he could remember he _didn't_ want to open his eyes for the sake of good rest?

During those tiny lapses of awaking, the swirling scents of maple syrup teased and faintly nurtured him back into a deeper slumber than before. It worried Sasuke sometimes to where he'd inwardly panic. He was at the mercy of this person, stomach vulnerably upturned so that any potential attack was fatal. Had he been in his mode of stability, he would never be laid so open, so—so bare.

There was once, just once, when he'd gradually dared to open his eyes. All he could recollect was a drowning abyss, pure oceanic blue, staring and watching him close. Lucid and unable to move, he stared until the back of his eyelids lowered.

Next go around, slumber unhook its talons as he sighed and crinkled his nose, eyes forced open from a painful grunt. He'd moved and pinched something, "Damn."

"Damn is right."

The first sight to greet Sasuke after a never ending sleep was a broad silhouette, outlined by choppy lightning. His body froze, than relaxed upon the familiar scent and illuminated green eyes. "Kyuubi," he glanced around until his eyes adjusted to the pitch black room, grasping the top of his head with a bandaged palm. "How long was I out?"

"About two days," Kyuubi leaned back against the edge of the bed, back pressed to the cool compress wall. "I was out too for about the same. Just woke up an hour ago. _Shit,_" the hiss burned across his fangs like the spill of fresh acid. "I'm still sore."

Sasuke blinked around the tiny spaced room, making out the queen sized bed they were on, a cherry wood nightstand and matching dresser, then to where a double door walk in closet was nestled near another door. "Why are we still here?"

"Dunno," Kyuubi laughed once. "Not that I'm complaining. I haven't slept that good in days." He chanced a sniff of his pelt and seemed to snuggle against himself. "Or felt this fresh. It feels like he scrubbed me down from head to toe."

_He. Him_. That human. Memory of gold and blue returned fast. With lead heavy limbs spread against satin and cotton fabric, Sasuke nuzzled his back to test his endurance and took a chance to try sitting up. The move took some effort in accomplishing but he managed a jerked success half way up, supported by his elbows. He inhaled and exhaled raspy deep breaths then froze. For some odd, crazy reason, he felt eerily . . . disturbingly clean.

That smell. The hell? He sniffed the air again unsure at first but when tasting the odor from where it radiated the most, Sasuke realized that yes the scent of lavender and jasmine was coming off his fur. His claws flew up to his hair, combing through slightly damp—and detangled— strands.

Invasion of privacy was taken to a whole new degree. Save for their clothing, Sasuke in his jeans and Kyuubi in his sweats and V-neck thermal, they'd been stripped them naked. There was no telling how far that human went with cleaning them. The prickles on his tail bristled to needles as did the rest of his brushed pelt. It only worsened when the sharp crackle of thunder shattered the moment of fury.

Kyuubi looked to his left out the window, shaded by sheer dark colored curtains. A sigh later, he turned to his side and laid down opposite his partner on the bed, "We made it out of there just before the storm hit. We should count our blessings. That could've been our asses out there."

"A blessing or a curse. We don't know if we're safe here," Sasuke argued softly. "We shouldn't let our guard down. You know how vexing humans can be."

"Shit," A deep chuckle. "If this is torture, chain me to the wall." Kyuubi made a show of seeking a cozier position on the mattress, shoulders and arms relishing against fibers he'd thought he'd never feel again. "For real Sasuke, don't you think if this kid was out for blood he would've gut us to our nuts by now?"

"No telling," Sasuke paused shifting to the side, facing Kyuubi's shin. "How far did we get from Coney Island?"

Kyuubi snorted sharply, "I wasn't exactly counting miles when we got out. We swam for two damn days and walked on for God knows how long." His voice weighed down from each explained word as if the memory of their venture was enough to tire him out. "I'm just glad we stopped running."

Sasuke's head fell against the pillow, shaking his head and staring above at the wrinkled ceiling, "We'll never stop. As long as they're looking, we'll keep moving."

"For how long Sasuke? Huh?" Kyuubi sat on, glaring. "We'll run for another five weeks? Fuck that, I'll pass. You can go on playing fugitive but I'm done." He flopped back on his side, pissed as well as lightly sickened to his stomach about the subject. He closed his eyes tight against the nightmarish reality that kept him awake for more nights then he wanted to remember. Kyuubi closed his eyes to keep away the truth. He closed his eyes to rid himself of what was sure to come no matter what they did. "I'm so tired of this shit Sasuke. I'm d_one_. This," He swallowed, whispering fiercely. "This ain't the life I imagined living."

"None of us thought it'd be this way, Kyuubi," Sasuke ran both hands through his hair, messily spreading the tendrils across his brow. "We left so many behind . . . so _fucking_ many." He shook his head, not of pain but denial and helplessness to a past that refused to let him go.

Kyuubi sighed long, drained and deep, rolling on his stomach to lessen the agony stirring in his chest cavity as well as to bury an expression never witnessed. And no one ever would. "Will we ever go back there to get the others?" His plush tail sagged between his thighs.

"No, if they wanted out as bad as we did they'd have come along or be free by now." Kyuubi looked down just as Sasuke angled his head intimidatingly slow. Crimson and jade clashed like whips to the hide of a bull. "They chose to remain in that life. They don't care what life is like outside of a cage or order." A bone deep ache suddenly snipped from a single motion Sasuke wish he hadn't done when lifting his arm overhead. The tug nastily dragged a fiery pinch from pectoral to ab. "Shit, these are tight."

"No kidding," Kyuubi chuckled, silently relieved for a new choice of topic. "Shit's so tight I farted a whistle."

Sasuke's even breathing showed he either didn't hear the joke or was quietly contemplating the fastest way to kill his partner. Silence passed for a very long moment.

Suddenly, ears twitched, claws extended on impulse. Sasuke sat up quick, ignoring the rush of blood draining from his brain and dizziness spinning the dark world off its axel. Kyuubi's actions were slowed, less caution because the smell of approaching company was familiar. Swinging his thick tail out of the way, Kyuubi pushed his shoulder against the wall for support just as three soft knocks rapped against the door.

Neither answered or knew if they should. The door cracked open, swiftly bringing a skinny stream of silver light inside. "Hey, anyone awake?"

Again there was no verbal reply; only a quiet exchange of glowing eyes before turning back to the jutting door. They both sat up straighter or as much as they could, both heads snapped to the opening doorway, ears kicked back to a bodily display of weariness.

Naruto paused at the door and so did the two creatures just as they heard another voice pierce the otherwise stiff silence.

"You think they're hungry!"

Naruto flinched at the loud question and whispered back annoyed, "Could you be any louder stupid?"

"What? This is my house. I'll yell out my social security number if I want too!" Kiba shot back with no difference in octave or audio. "Shit, you should be grateful I'm offering to make the Pussy Things something to eat."

Kyuubi bristled at that. "Dick."

"Sure, they haven't eaten for two days" Naruto sighed, pulling the door opposite of his and Kiba's conversation so as to keep the patients free of the ear-splitting discussion ". . . maybe you can make some sandwiches?"

A disbelieving pause, then "Who said anything about a sandwich? The freaks don't have that kind of love here! They'll eat this box of cheese and crackers and be done with it."

Naruto blinked. "That's stuffs two mouths old!"

"And?"

The blond gave up. Literally proclaimed defeat as he shook his head, walking inside the bedroom. There was just no arguing with Kiba because he'd always have something other than kind to say in the end. Switching his flashlight setting from bright to dull, Naruto walked no more than three paces before he got the feeling he was being watched—very closely at that. He paused, a bottomless feeling plummet to the pits of his stomach. He lifted his flashlight to the bed and nearly went into cardiac arrest.

Like stained mirrors rebounding the beam of a spotlight, two sets of eyes glittering plenty of gusto blinked, narrowed and leaned forward to examine their newcomer. Naruto took a step back, caught off guard as well as relieved to see his patients up and about. "So, got enough sleep huh? Good, wouldn't want you down and out for the whole show. Too bad you woke up without any electricity," He chuckled awkwardly. Deadly silence followed. Naruto shifted to the other foot, eyebrow cocked and lips thinned.

Realization hit home hard. With them nearing good health, it was a bit different seeing them with strength rather than weak and helpless. Too bad this was the wrong time to be having second thoughts. "Is it um, safe to say you're not going to kill us or should I have nine-one-one on speed dial?"

Sasuke looked at him, face void of any telling emotions, "Depends. Nine-one-one would be a good start if you give us reason to kill you."

Naruto sucked in a good tight gasp. He stared like a complete idiot. He couldn't help it. That groggy voice from before, all growl-like and stiff, transform to this cultivated mixture of sexy, sensually hot and god help him if there wasn't the sweet tune of an accent buried beneath it all. This cat, person, freak was a walking sin. "Nah, I-I, well we're cool with ya'll staying here a while if you need the shelter. We got the space." He added for extra measure.

Kyuubi smiled extra wide and crossed his legs. "We already decided to stay kid," He ignored Sasuke's burning glare. "Only issue we have is wondering if we can trust you and that _dipshit _in the living room." He shrugged. "But that's not really up for debate when you fixed us up and gave us a place to chill. I wouldn't expect a killer to clean then kill us off. . . unless you get a kick out of that, then we got a problem."

"Nah, nah," Laughed Naruto, scratching behind his head. "None of that crazy shit goes on around here. That's a lil' bit extreme, don't ya think?"

"Folks crazy these days kid. Ain't no telling what's going through your mind?"

"Exactly," Sasuke finally inputted skeptically, snapping Naruto's attention straight to him. "So what do you want? Why help us?"

Geez paranoia was oozing off this guy like molasses. Really? Naruto was an easy buck-fifty dripping wet versus all that dark, sleek, smooth, thick . . . shit. Ok so yeah, what exactly was he supposed to do against all that? The combat factor should've been plainly obvious.

Naruto sighed and resisted rolling his eyes as he stepped to the bed, shoulders ridged stiff as a billboard, "To answer both questions, I came in here to clean your bandages, and I ain't gaining anything out of saving your life. So excuse the shit out of me for keeping your ribs intact." Folks these days just don't appreciate a good deed anymore. Naruto remembered way back when—despite being only in his early twenties—when a street bro helped another out there was usually a new earned respect or at least an _I O U._

Not from this jackass apparently. He had a chip on his shoulder, that better be brushed off before Naruto caught himself a hard case. Why do all the fine, weird ones have to be dicks? None too gently, Naruto propped himself on the corner of the mattress, kicking a leg under his thigh as he reached out for Sasuke's arm and pressed his fingertips over the swells and lumps felt from before.

And Sasuke snatched his hand away as if he were offended by the touch.

_Don't start shit, won't be shit,_ Naruto chanted patiently. "Let me check your wounds. I felt something pressing against—"

"I'm fine," Sasuke cut off coldly. "Keep your hands off me."

"Why are you giving me a hard time?"

Sasuke looked at him like he was stupid.

Naruto pulsed his lips. No this stupid ass didn't . . ."Let me see your arm," He repeated slow and clipped.

Sasuke leaned in some, warm breath fanning across Naruto's nose, "Are you deaf?"

"—Ain't nothing wrong with my ears—"

"I said to keep your hands off." Sasuke eyes nearly shut as he concentrated all his building irritation into this boy. "I don't trust you."

Naruto stuck his face out too, noses brush, sharing heated flare, "I ain't asking you to trust me asshole, but you gotta let me check," Naruto caught himself as it dunned on him how angry he'd gotten in the span of five seconds. He dissolved the space between him and Sasuke, taking several deep breaths. "Look, I don't expect you to trust me on sight. Hell you're within rights to be suspicious. I would be too if some random mate came about and threw me in their house. Just know, whether you trust me or not is irrelevant. I'm not out to hurt you or your friend. I'm only trying to help." His shoulders bounced once, chin tilted up defiantly. "But it's your choice to get better. Fair warning though, if either of you get sick it ain't my problem."

"That's him," Kyuubi blurted out suddenly drawing the two's attention to him. Naruto had forgotten the guy was there at all. "I appreciate the hospitality. Here," he jerked his mummy wrapped thigh forward. "Nurse me."

Well, Naruto blinked, lip twitched on the side. At least someone was willing to accept his aid without issue. "Sure," He scooted his leg over and inched to the center of the bed, lifting and lowering Kyuubi's sore—thick as a tree truck and twice as heavy—leg over his noticeably smaller one. He snipped the bronze hook on the knee and started slowly unraveling the cotton compress, slowly and carefully fiddling the tips of his fingers over the revealing fur.

In the dark, Naruto wasn't sure since his eyes stayed trained where his flashlight shun, but he subtly thought he could see the glimmer of redeyes zeroed solely on his movements, watching, waiting. He wouldn't give the moody bastard the benefit of a side glance. If he wanted to bitch about getting help, that was his bloody business. Naruto knew when to take a hint. "Let's see," he murmured after getting most of the dressing undone. Lightly and with accurate pressure, Naruto traced over every abnormity protruding. He felt three lumps jutted upward and though faint, the matted sticky cloak of hot blood. Crusted crystals scattered here and there too; so the cut was clotting? Good. "It's busted pretty good, but give it about two weeks, no stress."

"What I got doc?" Kyuubi flexed his thigh and winched. "Anything broken?"

"Maybe, I think you snapped it here, here" He pointed to each spots. "And here. There's a gash on your knee. I'll have to get some ointment for the infection from the store." After the storm's lightened up of course.

"Hm," Kyuubi stretched and bent his thigh, eyes squint against the burn of effort. After that, he nodded to his own diagnostic. "Gimme about two days. I'll be fine by then."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm a Fox Beast," He said, offended. "We mend fast enough. Cat Beasts are more flimsy then us," he jerked his thumb to Sasuke, forgetting Naruto couldn't see in the dark.

"Oh, so he's a, a Cat Beast then? That's what you're both called. Something Beasts?" Naruto asked intrigued.

"Yeah, it's what most of us are called on Co—" A swift kick to the shin zipped the fox's mouth shut. Kyuubi cupped his paw over his achy shin, quietly grinding his fangs at the one responsible.

Sasuke coolly looked at him, "It isn't his business what we are or where we came from."

"Tsk, bastard," Grunted Kyuubi. He shook his red head. "Sorry kid, privacy's in the deal."

"No problem," Fine. He Naruto could respect that. But regardless of the Pussy Cat being a jerk, he couldn't help twinkling his flashlight over to see how he was doing. He grimaced when he found the dressings messily discarded from the arm he'd tried to inspect and saw the streaks of blood soaked underneath. A quick look to Sasuke showed him softly lapping at the jagged wound and smacking away the tart tang. Naruto wishing his conscious was a selfish bastard, but he wasn't blessed with an evil streak. "You'll just make it worst doing that."

Sasuke shot him a dirty look, but continued his task, back hunched forward, feet planted flat on the floor and tail limply lain over his leg. "Whatever."

"Come on," Naruto gently finished his check up with Kyuubi before daring to crawl over to Sasuke's end. "I'll take a quick look for infection—"

"I can handle it," Sasuke punctuated each other warningly, edged on a strained control of his temper.

Put off, Naruto scowled and without warning snatched Sasuke's hand to him glowing the flashlight over the bleeding cut. "See, you're only making it bleed more. We got some alcohol in the back—"

What happened next could only be described as stunning. Naruto caught it only two seconds too late. Black eyes sharpened just as Sasuke twisted around and slashed as violently as he could.

Hot streams of blood erupted in the air.

A thump sounded on the floor.

Sasuke didn't react when seeing those bright blue eyes stare at him with a horror unexplainable. Five muscle deep gashes slithered across the ball of Naruto's left shoulder, splitting down to the under curve of his pectoral. Sticky fire was dulled by the adrenaline flood coursing untamed in his nervous system. The wound was a disgusting sight. Naruto's hand shakily rose to touch the drooling wound, eyes sharply focused on the culprit.

He returned his hand up, not seeing but not needing to see the crimson residue stuck to each digit. "Shit," The whispered word was hollow. He'd never felt so stupid. Just, just so damn stupid. Wow.

"Keep your filthy hands to yourself. I don't need your help," Was the final cold threat. Sasuke lifted his arm back to his lips and resumed treatment.

Well. Naruto had just played himself for a complete and utter fool. A laughable fool.

Naruto's voice shook, "Right," He pushed himself up in a robotic trance, all functions done on autopilot. "I'll keep that in mind." He didn't blink, didn't speak, did nothing more than limp to the exit, ignoring Kyuubi's regretful glint and closed the door behind him.

The click was the loudest ever. Kyuubi grimly hung his head, running his claws through his hair, "Fuck Sasuke. . ."

The Cat Breast wavering for the barest second, a little regret raiding his mind, before it flicked away just as quick as it'd come. He didn't care. He trusted no one. Now the little bastard knew better.

* * *

The pain was a twisted reminder of why he used to be disdainful against helping others. It neither warmed nor flared as most would complain it felt. There was a dull stinging chill, racking up and down, similar to a blizzard embedded through his skin. He felt so stupid. Perhaps . . . well perhaps what probably annoyed him the most was having your generosity tossed in your face like used toilet paper. He could've lived with a simply _hell no_ or _fuck off_.

That usually got his attention in a heartbeat.

When it came to this? There was just a whole new level of bitterness that made him want to go back in that room and beat every apology he could out of Sasuke. The childish side of him knew that'd feel so damn good to do. Then, there was that adult side he angrily knew was right. Fighting Sasuke would only make the situation worst then a bloody wound.

Naruto clutched the injury, swinging his back against the wall with careful stealth so he wouldn't summon Kiba. His breathing swallowed, his nervous system was in a state of panic. Swallowing enlarged lumps of air served to cease him going into shock as he wormed two fingers beneath the sodden t-shirt and felt for any vitals. From shoulder to chest pectoral, he felt only strip of tattered skin and uneven disruption.

Not easy to tell, but it felt as if he'd survive.

He eased off the wall before evidence was left to slug and trotted down on the tip toes of his socks, hissing between clinched teeth and lips like an animal. His room was only a door down from the guest bedroom, thankfully. He made it there without Kiba noticing and quickly went about ripping off the rest of his clothing and cleaning it off.

It was deeper and bloodier then Naruto expected. Somewhere a vampire was weeping.

He should be glad that's all it was; just a mild flesh wound. It could've been worse. Those claws had to have been an inch long, hooked like a hanger. No matter. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. It was cruel; it was selfish maybe for Naruto keeping such important news to himself when it came to Sasuke's health. The bastard will find out in another day or so.

Naruto didn't care. The bastard made it painfully clear he didn't want a human's touch.

It was no longer his problem.


	4. Fool Me Twice

**Author's Rant:** Dear God I swear you guys are all awesome! Enjoy ^_^

* * *

**Fool Me Twice **

* * *

Tropical Storm Senji left the entire island a sodden wreck. Not a piece of rubbish was left fitted in the puzzle cracks mangled here and there. Damages were outstandingly costly. Naruto was glad to say their small three story apartment home got away with a few bumps and bruises easily fixed with some tender love and a trip to the tool shop. There was two whole days of city cleanup to drive through, not to mention the curfew set up for residence because of threats of more rain to come.

This sadly put Naruto on hold for getting his car a little longer. On a brighter side, school was canceled for the rest of the week. Naruto was relieved for the breather since it'd give him time to consider his options. For starters, getting the constantly leaking cuts on his chest to stop bleeding was a frustrating priority. Painkillers were keeping the dull ache at bay but when it came to keeping Kiba's nose out of it that was a whole different ball game. Naruto had gone through six t-shirts in the past two days just from having to clean off the speckles of blood daring to seep through.

The cuts weren't as deep as he'd first assumed and were glad to see they were only half and inch deep. No major vitals were harmed, but he kept bleeding. That could be blamed on all the continuous moving he's done nonstop since the storm rolled off. With having to clean up the exterior destruction and other demanding needs, he was slowly getting winded.

The responsibility of caring for Kyuubi has been trying to say the least. Each time Naruto offered to take him to the doctor, Kyuubi would decline by saying he preferred to heal naturally. Forgive Naruto for being a normal person when thinking that bones don't magically mend themselves in a few days.

He'd had a broken hand and foot before that took weeks to recover. Nonetheless, he gave the Fox Beast a trusted sigh and agreed to do it his way. He'd only seen Sasuke once. Just once and that was only to persuade Kyuubi into Naruto's bedroom to treat him with easier access. Well more specifically, so that he would not have to deal with a moody ass Cat Beast that had a tendency to bite you soon as look at you.

It didn't matter though. Whatever that thing was doing, Naruto shut that chapter off, literally ripping the pages from the book. It only took once to cross him and Sasuke had firmly set the record straight about how he felt. So that was that. No more worries about his health, no more giving a flying shit if he stayed clean, and not rising a fucking finger to make sure he was healing properly. Naruto took deep, anger-management breathes and relaxed. He'd just finished un-nailing the planks off the windows and vacuuming the carpet off paint flecks. Now on the rest of today's to do list, that just left him having to help Kyuubi's injuries. A nap was definitely in order after all of this.

Clad in a pair of khaki cargo slacks and a jet black t-shirt, and tube socks, Naruto hiked the pink medicine bucket under his armpit and knocked on the door housing his patient.

"Kyuubi, you decent?" He called inside.

Some cloths shifted, some grunts and more movements were heard before it went silence. Naruto waited, rocking back and forth on his heels before hearing the doorknob click and pulled back. Kyuubi stuck his head out, with a toothy grin, "Yeah, come in."

Naruto still wasn't used to the menacing height of this creature. There was entirely too much muscle, height and fangs for him to ever feel comfortable period. "How you feeling today?" he asked as always when stepping into his own room.

"Fine, pretty good," Kyuubi shut the door, and limped back to the queen sized bed, flopping loudly over the plush covers. "I don't get why you keep knocking on your own door. It's your place, just walk on in."

"And see where the sun will never shine? No thank you." All hairy, discombobulated and just eck. Naruto shuddered thinking about all that fur tangled and untamed mess navigating around what he knew was a monstrosity in those too tight sweats. He liked his eyes just as they were thank you very much.

Kyuubi rolled opposite of the bed on his side, eyeing Naruto's first aid kit. "I don't see what the big deal is. We both got dicks."

"Whatever," Naruto wasn't going to comment any further. From what little he knew and witnessed of Kyuubi, this guy wasn't the sort he who did dares. He did promises. Naruto didn't doubt a single guess in his mind that the Fox Beast would gladly show him what he was storing down stairs. Funny how he'd been so willing to see Sasuke's versus Kyuubi's. Guess being nearly clawed to death did that kind of warped thinking.

Naruto uncovered a brand new roll of yellow bandage covering and a set of scissors to cut through the hold casting. Kyuubi held his thigh hold, carefully lowering it half bent over Naruto's smaller leg. "So, how's your chest feeling?"

The scissors stopped, Naruto froze. He recovered the action fast but not fast enough for Kyuubi not to see. "It's fine. I'm fine."

Running a hand through his slightly matted, tangled red hair, shaking it out of habit over his shoulders, "You sure? I can smell blood coming through."

"What—damn it," Naruto surged to his feet, tenting the shirt between his finger tips and tsking his lips at the connecting red blots. "Third shirt today." Kiba was going to be pissed about the water bill. "Just a sec." Naruto dropped the shears in the pink bucket and went in search of a new shirt in his walk-in closet. He kept a spare few packs of tees just in case of emergencies but at the rate he was going there was only going to be a couple more of those. He found a red and black tipped short sleeve tee, slipping it over his head and sighing disgustingly with himself.

Seriously after this, he was going to hose his entire body down with gauze and ice ointment.

"Alright, all better now," when he emerged from the closest, Naruto had to hold back an impolite grimace when seeing Kyuubi with his mile long leg stretched out and the nasty gash perched on his lips. This was is the most awkwardly, flexible position he'd ever seen a big man in. "Listen man, seriously, that's just gross," he said as kindly as possible. This was a guy who could eat him alive after all. "Why don't you let me clean it with medicine instead of using your tongue?"

Kyuubi lapped absentmindedly at the fleshy tear, "It'll heal better this way."

"No it won't," Naruto argued softly, retaking his place on the bed and stealing Kyuubi's leg before another sick lick was given. "Let's try a more humane way of fixing this up, mmkay?" This time the treatment went without incident. Kyuubi sat completely still, watching Naruto's moves carefully. He missed not a single maneuver, didn't flinch when alcohol was dabbed gently and only blinked when Naruto felt around the edges with the tips of his fingers. He dared to sink his index inside. Kyuubi's only reaction was a tight hiss.

"Damn."

Naruto looked up to him, "Still tender?"

"Yeah," Kyuubi gritted his teeth as the protruding digit skated under the fur skinned layer, probing and up lifting for any foreign debris.

"You're healing well," Naruto deduced after a finalized touch up. He sat back, wiping a hand over his sweat filmed brow. "I don't think your bone was completely broken. Probably just fractured since I can't feel the nub anymore. Here, lemme see something." Wrapping his hands around the under crook, Naruto sat back and stretched the leg out with him, keeping a careful eye on Kyuubi's reaction. "How's that? Does it hurt?" He asked a fourth of the way down.

"No, I'm good."

"Kay, how's this."

". . . I'm ok."

He hesitated that time, Naruto noticed. "Alright, what about here?"

"Sssss, yeah, yeah, ok, that hurts. Damn," Kyuubi roughly pulled his injured appendage back, clutching it to his chest like a new born infant.

About three fourths of the way down, he'd felt a twinge. Naruto noted and calculate the healing process it'd take for humans. Normally he'd guess about two weeks since he'd mustered enough to let it be bent that far. "I'll give you another week before you're back to top notch."

"I won't need that long," Kyuubi assured, fixing his sweat pants leg over his thigh. "Gimme two more days, max."

"You said that last time."

"I wasn't sure then."

"Right, like you're not sure now," Naruto chuckled patiently, closing the clip latches on the side of the first aid kit. "But we'll see in time. Just put a little weight on it when you walk to give it some exercise. Don't overdo it and we'll keep some ice on to keep the swelling down."

"Thanks" Kyuubi bucked his limp, than sighed out ". . . Naruto?"

Naruto stopped at the doorway, "What's up?"

"Do you think, just for a minute," A short laugh, containing no humor. "It might seem like much but can you check Sasuke? He's been looking—"

"I'll come back when lunch's ready," Naruto smoothly cut off, exiting out without a backwards glance. "Get some rest until then. You'll need it for the therapy sessions tomorrow."

"Naruto—"

"No Kyuubi, don't ask me," Said Naruto with a calm he was straining to control. "He made the bed, now let 'em sleep it in. Fool me once shame on me, cut me twice, he can kiss my ass." He took a step out the bedroom, and perhaps it was his mother's conscious eating him alive. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, not meeting Kyuubi's faint frown. "It's obvious he doesn't want my help. Weren't you there when he sliced by pizza?"

"It wasn't intentional," Kyuubi reasoned slow and punctuated like speaking to an immature child. "You caught him off guard. Attacking's his only line of defense, we're both vulnerable. If you'd done the same to me, there's no telling how I would've reacted."

"Tsk," Naruto disgustedly noised on his tongue. "I ain't a fool Kyuubi. Whether you'd done it or he'd done it makes no damn difference to me. Everyone I meet gets one shot. Just one," he defined with a pointed finger. "Now if you want I can give you the supplies and you can help him, but I'm not going back in there. I'm done."

Kyuubi was never one to accept defeat or refusal for anything he wanted. Naruto was a saint in his own calloused way for aiding him but Sasuke was in a whole different league when it came to the two of them. They'd been through far too much to let a misunderstanding ruin him. "I'm no good at this doctoring stuff like you. Just look at him," Kyuubi said as cool and collected as possible. "I'll probably mess it you. You have the know-how, I don't."

Naruto inwardly debated on leaving the subject be or being stupid enough to walk back in to discuss his near killer. Shamefully he went with the latter knowing it was what his Ma and Pa would've done, even with cuts from head to toe. "Give me a reason why I outta waste my damn time? Please make it good." He shut the door, dropping the aid kit by his feet and waited, arms folded, lips perked angrily. "One shot."

It was better than nothing. Kyuubi scooted over the side of the mattress, ambling both legs over and relaxing his elbows on the balls of his knees. One side look at Naruto clued him in. He was only getting one chance at making things work out. He'd best think up a solution quick. "Pressure huh?" He mumbled absentmindedly, doing another dance of hair over his shoulders. "Thought we'd left that at Coney Island. . ." He dissolved the comment with a lip pulse and turned to look Naruto in both electric blue eyes, seeing not a trace of indifference. Whatever said needed to have feeling to it. Otherwise his partner was going to be boned. "Sasuke's not always like that. He's got heart. He's just tired. You gotta realize it's been weeks since we've seen another human and all the ones we know of didn't give a hot shit what we did or how we felt." Kyuubi raised his eyes from the floor.

Naruto's stoic scowl hadn't split. It remained stiffly closed, voided of a drop of care. This dried up expression didn't befit the human Kyuubi knew who'd cared for him only a minute ago. The blonde's brisk nod, apparently meant what little argument Kyuubi protested, did nothing to push him into a forgiving mood.

The Fox Beast was going to have to try harder. Much harder. "He's getting sick Naruto. His wounds are infected, he's catching chills and, fuck man I don't know jack squat about fixing anybody up. That's your expertise, not mine." He hammered gravelly and proceeded to rush the rest of his dispute. "Be the better man. Just—just one time. Go look and do your doctor thing with him. Sasuke's getting too sick for his breed. Cat Beasts can't go this long without being—"

"Wait, wait," Naruto held up his palm, whipping Kyuubi's protest in half, then brought said hand back to massage the space between his eyes. "Be the better man huh?" He released in a single breath. "So correct me if I'm wrong, cause I'll be the better man if I am." He pushed off the back of the door, cantering painfully steady and rigid as a blade to stand in front of Kyuubi. "You want me to go mend the same guy, animal or whatever, after he'd ripped me open? You want me to prance in there and help the same cat that pointedly said he didn't want me to touch him? You want me to waltz inside the lion's den and get eaten alive? Is that it?" His voice rose with stringed sarcasm with every new ridiculous accusation, even if it was slamming directly on top of the red mass of hair. He flicked his wrist uncaringly, "Am I somewhere in left field or close to a home run, help me out here."

Kyuubi's head lowered further, hands unchained from the fists they were balled into. "He's gonna die kid." A slight shudder jolted his broad shoulders. "I ain't ever begged for anybody's life but shit if I won't do it for him." Green bravely gravitated up to blue this time, revealing the dark loss swimming within. "We've been through so much. _So much_."

Naruto stayed rooted where he was. It wasn't particularly tension that swallowed him whole or the sense of dread that came with knowing how it felt to lose a loved one. It was that singular emotion _regret _that suctioned each sock covered foot to the carpet. His arms folded tighter, his deep blue eyes turned their vicious scowl to the floor. He knew he'd regret it if he didn't do something to help. He knew there would be tidal waves of remorse showering him each day for not doing more than he could to prevent Sasuke's death. Hell he'd felt the twitch when knowing Sasuke would get this sick before he did.

Vengeance was done out of spite during that immediate he'd got hurt. It was a brief acknowledged promise he'd made inside that he'd let Sasuke suffer for the crime committed onto him. A fever, a deadly slash to the wrist and a broken bone was what he'd diagnosed during his short stay. It'd serve the bastard right to be punished by his own ego.

It was that renewed motivation to spit fire under Naruto's heels and step away from Kyuubi. "No," he dryly whispered, shaking his chin to the carpet. "No, I can't. I won't." Kyuubi's distorted glower was missed as Naruto poised himself for a head high stroll out the bedroom. Not so much as a look back behind him. He didn't care if Kyuubi was angry. If it caused them both to leave so be it. Pride was something he had as well as a dose of dignity.

He would not give Sasuke the satisfaction of being his grunt after such an attack.

However proud Naruto felt for not giving in, his conscious devoured him from the inside out, screaming, pleading with him not to take it that far. The door closed tight, its siding form gathering to the frame in a slow trail. The wait was uncanny, almost as if expecting Kyuubi to come forth and break the door down with his meaty hands and shake Naruto senseless to make him do the deed.

But no such thing happened, although Naruto couldn't blame him. Here was the only person probably able and willing to give them a hand and denying his skills to the one who needed it most.

Naruto shoved off the door, his journey down the hall the longest and unbalanced he'd ever had. He paused at the guest room. He could smell a foul stench. He knew Sasuke would succumb to this. He knew. Temptation to see the works of his revenge urged him to place his fingers around the door handle.

He hesitated outside the room, and took a deep, calming breath. That nervous feeling crept up his spine like a bolt of lightning and shocked him his hand away. Naruto cradled it as if being burned and continued on even slower.

Was it possible to feel low, when you deserved this high?

Damn. . . Hello guilt. How are you today?

* * *

Another two days carried on. Kyuubi hadn't spoken to Naruto since then. When Naruto tried to rewrap his wounds, Kyuubi softly refused and retreated to the guest room. Not once had he come out since then, not even to eat. That was fine. Naruto would've thought the guy a complete dick if he'd gone on to get help when his only friend was suffering.

The burden of giving a damn didn't lift as it should have, nor did the rocketing pain flaring across Naruto's shoulder and chest. The bleeding wasn't as profuse, but it still threatened to soil his shirt if stressed too much. He wasn't going to get any peace staying cooped up in the apartment either. Kiba had noticed his mood swing and sworn if the beasts had done something, he'd fuel the entire lot and burn it to a bloody cider. To hell with how the Fire Department would view it.

A better solution was suggested then. The city was back to being half way secure and with no further possibilities of another storm for another day or so, the beach was clear to go. Neither of the pair had surfed in a few weeks and without any kind of responsibility to uphold, they'd decided to hit the surf for a few waves.

It was Saturday, normally the most populated day where the beach was painted every shade of the rainbow with tourists and local residential. Today it was stripped cleaner than a chicken bone. Dotted here and there, were the few youths just as dumb as Naruto and Kiba, daring to risk being caught up in another shower. They didn't care either way. Water was water. And these waves were hitting on something fierce.

The flat clumps of sand baked their heels to crisps. Their matching blue and red one piece wet suits clung like wet rags on their bodies and under opposite armpits were two worn down Quiet Flight Platypus Surfboards. Kiba's was all red and white tipped on both ends. Naruto had a custom made board, mostly auburn orange and navy blue on the ends.

From the shoreline they witnessed an inexperienced surfer met the rear end of a Surge and land face flat in the water.

Tch, amateurs.

The waves were slamming something serious today. When they arrived it was as smooth as glass and twice as enticing to dominate. Naruto got all his kicks out of demonstrating to the fan base he earned, just how skilled he was on the surf and often dared anyone stupid enough to rip a challenge with him. They'd be kissing sand and his ass by the time he was through. At eleven years old he'd already been getting up there with the big boys, mostly between eighteen and twenty five.

Naruto just finished off riding a medium roller off course and settled back just to enjoy the view. The ocean soothe him, relaxed him better than a grinded orgasm. Just anyone who knew him well. They'd say he was born in the wrong body as a joke by God. Naruto was a born fish and the water, his play land.

Waned knee deep in the lukewarm sea and Naruto balanced his hands on the board to lift himself to saddle the Quiet Flight Platypus board, feet paddling lamely on either side. He slumped wonderfully exhausted, wiping the saline water from his soggy hair and blurry eyes, just catching Kiba flip a 180 midair before diving on the side burner. Look at him; showing his ass for a couple of ladies. Naruto had it in his mind to head back just to steal the spotlight but thought better of it.

Let Kiba have his glory for another two minutes.

Naruto flinched, just then when the blare of the siren came spiraling off the life guard speaker.

_"Attention surfers, swimmers, locals and visitors. A storm has been sighted exactly twenty miles northeast and expected to make landfall in thirty minutes. Please be warned that the weather is chanced to have severe wind speeds of up to thirty miles per hour, heavy rains and lightning. We ask that you evacuate the premises in a timely but hastened fashion. Tune in to 1630 on your radio stations for further instructions."_

Ah damn, just when the surf was getting good. Splashing drew his eyes to the side where Kiba paddled over, a similar pissed frown on his face. "Damn, did you see me? I was grinding the tube, and ripping the waves so much, the ladies bleached me."

Naruto chuckled and shook his head in amusement at his best friend. "A shame all that actions going to waste huh? The ladies won't get to know how much they ain't missing."

"I know. . ." Kiba trailed back when catching the barb. "Fuck you, twat. All this in these britches? Pfft man, God was playing favorites when dishing the cocks."

"Oh trust me, I'd know." Thunder erupted beyond the horizon before another reply. Naruto noticed the first strike of jagged pearl stab the water and gestured for Kiba to follow him out. They could finish their argument over a bag of burgers and milkshakes on their way home.

Home. Yeah, going back there to wallow in the pit of misery.

Strange. When someone thinks of being in their own home, they don't want to go when company is definitely there to ruin it. Even if they're not there to physically destroy it.

The few coursing waves bumped them with a rougher push until they gained enough ground to stand and carry their boards on. Kiba trotted ahead to get the car ready while Naruto hung back to gather their towels and belongings in his backpack. Bent over as he was and with the howling winds picking up with a dull roar, Naruto didn't hear the approaching footsteps before two long arms circled his waist and tugged back none too gently.

A hot, wet set of lips pressed into his ear and three kinds of liquid fire to his groin. "What I told ya about showing my goods to the public, hmm? You know how jealous I get," Naruto gladly leaned into the warm cradle and rolled his hips back to meet the grinding sway. His assailant licked the outer curve of his ear. "Ya playing with fire Naruto."

"I like to be burned," Naruto jested sexily, twisting around in the arms of his buddy with many, many, many benefits.

One of the finest, hottest men to possibly walk off a Play Girl Magazine; Suigetsu Hozuki, an old flame but someone still a pleasure to rut with when Naruto was in the mood to play dirty. The man made his blood cook like a pot of ramen. He was tall, with pale skin, ash-white, short, mop hair and strange inverted eyes, the irises a bright gemstone violet, and pitch black pupils. He had a wide, mischievous grin and a really low, natural come-fuck-me voice. His body was muscular, but more lean and wiry, not so bulked. He wasn't wearing a stitch of cotton on his roped up chest muscles and a pair of black swim trucks hanging loosely off his narrow lips.

Naruto was enticed the second he saw those great white teeth shining in his direction at the Tiki Lounge and since then been hooked. They'd dated, it didn't work. They fucked that definitely worked.

"Why you haven't called me in a while," Suigetsu swing Naruto's body in a sensual embrace, rubbing his knee along his inner thigh. "You can't keep this ass from me, baby." Fingers ravished Naruto's banana blond hair like tickling feathers before they became a harsh grip, yanking Naruto back to meet those lukewarm eyes. "Ya know how impatient I am."

Oh, Naruto like it rough, "You plan to punish me? I've been so bad." His eyes widened fractionally when a strong squeeze knitted his ass cheeks apart.

"How bad?" He leaned in.

Naruto closed the gap, "Very." Suigetsu took the plunge and dived right in. Naruto sung the guy his tunes when it came to kissing. Nothing was ever polite or restrained. It was all nasty, hot, and wet with desire. Those lips were firm and subtly soft as they moved over and parted Naruto's mouth to rape his tongue silly. Mmm sweet milk never tasted so good. Those fang-like teeth gnawed and nipped Naruto's bottom lip until they blushed red and swelled. "Oh baby," He mouthed and traveled down to singe Naruto's jawline and neck with audible kisses.

His toes curled. Naruto would've damned the fact they were in the middle of a public place—which they'd done plenty of times before—if it hadn't been the disgusted snarl interrupting from behind.

"Can you make me any sicker?" Kiba rudely blurted, arms strapped across his chest like a strait jacket. "Kissing fish and shit, ugh." He gagged loudly

Suigetsu made a show of sucking Naruto's ear lobe before casting a bored glare over his shoulder, "Well ya ain't got nothing better to do Inuzuka? There's a bunch of hydrants out there needing a good piss."

"You would know wouldn't you Pussy-getsu?" Kiba ignored him and switching his glare to Naruto. "You wanna stand here screwing bait or getting in the car?"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Suigetsu as usual when it came to his and Kiba's bickering, had something else smart to say. "He likes it just fine right here, thank you. Ain't that right, Sexy," Suigetsu leaned in to connect their mouths for a brief but heated kiss.

Naruto pecked him another time before shoving him away, "Another time, I gotta get home to take care of some things."

"You gotta do something more important than fucking?" The dark eyed man grinned wide and suggestively rocked his hips forward.

"Plenty that ain't got shit to do with you," Kiba blurted, snatching Naruto by the arm and dragging him away. "Go do what you do best and flop dead in somebody's bucket."

Suigetsu had the nerve to frown, insulted, "The last I checked dogs barked instead of spoke. Go sniff ya mama's asshole, ya cum twat."

"Fuck you!" Kiba hollered back and quickly sprinted to the car before he performed a crime against humanity. He was against killing, illegally ugly ass, species and those that Naruto deemed ok. Naruto sat back in his seat covering a smile behind his hand. He'd tried all the way home not to laugh at Kiba's lemon scrunched face but when he looked at him, he lost it.

Naruto busted a gut laughing his ass off, slapping his knee and shoulders shaking. Tears spilled from his eyes, Kiba looked so stupid. Kiba didn't bother cursing him out or letting him know how much he despised Suigetsu. The two couldn't stand one another since they'd meant. It was almost like the two were destined to piss each other off on sight.

Home was made in the nick of time before the first sheet of ram slammed hard on Kiba's red ford mustang. They hurried to climb the metallic stairs, clanging loud and holding the towels over head to savage a piece of dry for themselves.

"I hate that dude," Kiba finally grumbled while searching for his keys. "Why you fucking with 'em anyway?"

Naruto shrugged, while ranging out his towel, "He's offering, I'm interested. That simple. Besides we ain't dating. He knows it. It's just for a good time so chill."

Kiba smacked his lips irritated, "You can have a good time with a dildo."

"Plastic can't do nada that a good hunk of meat can," Naruto rolled his eyes playfully. "Not everyone can get off clutching their jewels like you."

"Yeah sure—holy shit, it stinks." Kiba's sudden thrust back, rammed Naruto in the railing half over in the rain.

"Jesus Christ, warn me the next you go-stupid," Naruto snapped crossly.

"Sorry bro," Kiba gushed, hand hooded over his nose. "It's killer in there. The whole place smells like BO."

Weird. Wonder why. Naruto took a quick whiff and buckled back just as Kiba had, hand cupped over his nostrils. "The hell?" He murmured, stepping inside.

"Is the electricity out again? Did something spoil?"

Naruto flipped the light switch. The entire living room lit, thank goodness. "No on both counts." He looked around the room for anything suspiciously close to discarded food products that could've went bad. Kiba had that nasty habit of just throwing stuff away anywhere it landed. Naruto checked under the couches, the love seat, the play system and other convenient hiding places for rotten produce but found none. "I'll check the kitchen. We probably got some bad meat."

"Whew something's gotta be dead," Kiba grunted waving his hand. "I'm gonna get some air wick."

Dead. Dead. No sooner had those words reached him, Naruto's knees lost strength. His hands quickly caught the edge of the counter as he stared at the gorging mess on the floor. Blood was speared and swished across the floor like a blind man's canvas. Feet prints, claw prints, scratches and tears embedded deep in the tile. The stench was terrible. Naruto swallowed hard. The trail led up to the utensil drawers and disappeared inside.

What happened? He'd only been gone a couple of hours.

Naruto didn't think after that. He gathered himself shakily and stumbled pass Kiba ignoring his concerned call. Naruto buried his forehead on the wall, by the guest room. The smell was unbearable. It came from this room. Through the crack that jarred it open. Naruto was scared for what he might find. His hands braced the wall. It held his weight and he used it as his support to glide along its surface to the door.

He gripped the knob and gulped, all of his body returned to robotic function. "Please_, please_," he prayed, urging the door side. Naruto's eyes adjusted slowly to the dimly glowing lamp by the bedpost. A tall, brawly figure was hunkered over the bed. Naruto was frozen in place until those green eyes sparkled nothing but searing sorrow.

"He ain't breathing. He ain't . . . he ain't breathing." He sounded vacant, voided. Kyuubi opened and closed his parched lips, then lifted his arm.

Naruto paled.

Lacerations, gashes, deep cuts and mangled flaps of flesh flipped off Kyuubi's arm. Blood clotted and oozed from the openings, gooey and thickly infected. "I tried," His voice sounded so old. "He wasn't movin' I had to do something."

This was the first time Naruto had seen Sasuke in days. Why hadn't he waited this long? It's only been four days. How could he look so destroyed? His chest cavity was caved in, the fur on his body knotted and matted as flat as a rug. There was no way his skin being this pale was fine . . . the pink tint was gone. . . he looked so. . . so. . .

"K-Kyu, he's not . . . oh," Naruto swayed.

"Naruto, Naruto shit!" Kiba caught him before he hit the floor. Kiba looked up at the gruesome site. "Naruto get up man!" He hadn't fainted, but the stunned shock rendered him immobile. "Ah damn." Kiba looked to the torn, broken fox creature, then to the bed hosting the foul beast. He stood with Naruto in his arms as one and placed him in a nearby chair. He proceeded to the bed and kneeled next to it, gulping in deep breathes to handle the strong impure smell. He wanted to see. Just to be sure. Something wasn't right.

Kiba looked at the animal beside him out the corner of his eye. While keeping an eye on him, Kiba pressed his index and middle finger over Sasuke's wrist. He waited. He waited.

There. He knew it. It was faint, very far apart but there was a pulse. Not for much longer though, "Naruto, Naruto come here man. He's alive!"

Kyuubi's ears shot up like pistols. "What!" He shoved Kiba aside and lowered his ear over his heart. "But he'd stopped breathing. I didn't hear a pulse."

Kiba shoved him right back to move him out of the way, "Naruto come on man. He's freezing!" Sasuke's entire body was a block of ice.

Naruto vaguely heard anything before it registered in his mind. Sasuke. Sasuke was alive. Was he really? He slowly grounded his feet and shuffled to the edge, each stepping proving just as challenging as the last. He made it there, keeping his eyes from looking at the mess he created. He used his hands as his interpreters to explain all that was there. A fever, bad infection, a teeth chattering cool.

Ok.

Naruto found his voice, "Kiba," He rasped a little stronger. "Heat up some towels. Get some alcohol, some gauze, get the herbal bottles from the hall closet." He spoke looking up to the ceiling while unpeeling his wetsuit off his body. He needed air to breath, air to think. Damn you Sasuke.

Everything was a blur. Naruto worked at an incredible pace. He wasted not a single inch of Sasuke's skin, from head to toe. Stitches were implied on the cuts, bones were carefully reattached and tied tight with cast bandages. He would work on cleaning Sasuke's pelt later tonight. All he wanted was to help the man get better. He thanked Kiba for helping Kyuubi wrap his arm tight—Naruto planned to cuss way into his mama's womb when he got finished here.

It took a full hour and forty odd minutes before Naruto leaned back on his heels and sighed. Still, not once had he looked at Sasuke's face. He didn't want to see the damage easily prevented. The silence was so appreciated. It really was.

Naruto closed his eyes and gulped the salty sourness threatening to clog his windpipes. Relief washed him clean, the guilt only a shadow. It would come back, he knew. But he was so grateful to have finally tried.

He dropped to his knees.

Eyes kept floated up, Naruto closed his eyes and dropped his head down on the same pillow as Sasuke's head. Greedily he snuggled on the pulse material, than lifted his head to hide away his regret.

Reaching out, Naruto clasped his clammy palms on either side of Sasuke's jaw and dared to open his eyes. He searched over deeply grooved print, design and rising structure of Sasuke's face. The tear left his eye, landing softly on the bleach white eyelid. Naruto smiled and dropped his forehead, "Sorry. . . I'm so sorry Sasuke. Please, please be ok. _Please,_" He whispered over and over again.

He soon fell asleep in place, so tired.

Sasuke never stirred, never moved. He however dream. A calm, gentle reality where he was free and the sun was as bright as the sky's blue space. Then he heard a voice.

And it summoned him to awake the next morning.

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**_TBC: Sasuke's roll will increase in the next chapter. Thank you very much for everyone who's reading this story. As always your reviews, favs, and alerts are greatly appreciated. Please let me know how this chapter was for you ^_^ _**


	5. Slightly Better

**Author's Rant:** Ya'll are all worth your weight in gold. Thanks so much for everyone's participation for this story because I enjoy writing it. Enjoy ^_^.

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**Slightly Better**

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His fever had a rebellious mind of its own. It was masquerading throughout his body like a sauna, the systematic switch from hot to cold. Sasuke's body temperature never stabled. There was this continuous flow of up and down when it came to delirium control. He didn't know his left from his right or the blinks from his winks. Everything spun, they flipped and if he tried to sit up, he'd remember it was best to stay down or make himself quite comfortable on the floor.

The subtle blend of nausea and indigestion swam around thickly, souring his taste buds. The pains were either from forced heaving or the fact that acid was all he could afford to cough up to empty out the bowels. It was almost like having a rake twist his innards and drag along his stomach. He was real bad off. He would sleep in hopes of recovering but even that remedy couldn't cur his gut. It wasn't hunger. They hadn't had the chance to hunt a decent meal in days and soon Sasuke betrayed the idea entirely of ever eating a proper meal again.

Time was a forgotten reality. It was sometimes bright, sometimes dark. Most of it he could vaguely make out the difference through his eyelids, but darkness was his main companion. His mind and nose told him Kyuubi was there, but even that wasn't a guarantee. The entrances to his nostrils were clogging, and his mind was a maze, folding and refolding new paths, never a clear road for him to follow out.

The seconds, the moments, the instances, all of them herded on longer each time. Sasuke was in and out until he hadn't the strength to open his eye and free himself from pitch oblivion. The pain was most prominent when he could only focus on it as his rope to what was real and what wasn't. He felt like going mad at times. How ridiculous was it to be suppressed by infection and easily belted to his ankles by a chill? Sasuke had gone through so much worse. Way worse. And yet he couldn't beat this, whatever, anchoring him into weakness.

The agony soon blazed a silent howl. All of it spiraled and centered in corners, joints, bones, or wherever needed oxygen. There was no escape from the powerful plunge. Drowning was a better word for it. Sasuke knew he was sinking and sinking he would go. The pain sated itself to jaded snatches as if being cuffed by the throat and slammed back down with the force of a left hook. There was no getting help from this descent. Sasuke knew that. He'd never expected anyone to give a damn about him anyway.

After what'd done to his own life? Who'd be stupid enough to?

And yet, despite him being swallowed whole in the pit of empathy, he felt a pressure. A kind of leverage that ever so slowly restrained him in his mid-drift journey. As faint as it was, his eyes slithered open, and all he saw were bright blue eyes. It was all he remembered or at least thought he saw, going in and out of consciousness. They were familiar, calming. In brief flickers, he could scrounge up the power to keep them open.

There was sound, broken voices that fondled the furthest end of a tunnel, and bounced off the sound proof walls.

"._ . . Stopped breathing. I didn't. . . . pulse."_

"_. . . . Come on man. He's freezing. . . ._

"_Heat. . . . . . Towels . . . . . . Some alcohol . . . . . herbal bottles. . . . closet." _

He woke and slept. He did it more than before and as the black abyss subsided, Sasuke gradually found the mustered strength to keep his eyes open longer. The spark of sunlight penetrated his pupils, dilating the ink blot eyes, until shifting into the shadow. He gushed a soft sigh, mentally going over what hurt and what didn't until the scent of salty sugar hit his nose.

Sasuke's head dipped to the side as he came within a five inch measure from olive-beige skin. His initial instinct to defend died off when the blurry image took form and his chest let the tension loose through his nose. He retracted his claws, half way through the flesh barrier, and relaxed to some degree.

It was that human.

Naruto, if he remembered.

Sasuke frowned.

He'd thought their last encounter would've frightened the kid off, but apparently, judging by the way Sasuke was encased like a mummified joke, there was no such luck. He wasn't fully angry, but there was a sensational level of discomfort that came with not having gotten what he wanted. Sasuke didn't go about getting handed charity from anyone, let alone humans. He didn't regret attacking the boy when he had and if pushed, he'd do it again. He didn't handle being touched by those he didn't trust, no matter their intentions.

So . . . .

Now Naruto lay beside him asleep as if it were as natural as breathing. Then, with him so close, Sasuke could put up the effort of getting more bodily information on what this kid was about externally.

Medium to slender built, height wise, there was no comparison to Sasuke's. Those eyes, damn they were some shade of blue; illegally made into their own color code. In contrast to this sun-bronzed skin and sweet corn yellow hair, he looked every bit the native islander. He was dressed in pair of black and gray plait pajama pants and a black wife beater, curled inward on the same pillow as Sasuke.

Sasuke finished up his inspection in the same place where he'd started first: those lightning blue eyes behind Naruto's eyelids. It was impossible not to be magnetized by them, now with a chance like this.

Sasuke's staring could've triggered a flip in Naruto's mind because no sooner had Uchiha urged for it, those two eyes groggily flickered. A look to the left, to the right, a scratch to his nose and suddenly they centered forward.

There was no recognition of what Naruto was peering so hard at until the object arched an eyebrow. The weight of realization atomically stole his breath away. So much was pivoting like a pinpoint across Sasuke's sable gaze; . . . how to decipher the good from the bad, was a tough question. Naruto stared for a moment, than lowered his face, slinking back. Clearing his cowardly choked vocal cords, Naruto kept his stare down between the closing and opening space between him and Sasuke's body. He groggily swallowed because thinking clearly wasn't going to happen after seeing the Cat Beast half nude.

How was it possible to be half beast, half fine? All banged up, with a concaved stomach and sunken eyes, and Sasuke still managed to pull off the sexiest near-death look Naruto had ever seen.

Oh God.

Naruto felt flushed peppers spicing a red glint to his ears and cheeks. Just look at him; staring like he wanted to sop this Cat in some A1 and make sure every drop counted. Naruto didn't know if he was breaking some form of HIPPA law for being attracted to his patient but oh well. His heart was stammering a cruel symphony against his rib cage, "G'morning." He coughed and tried again, poising his hand over his side, prepared for flight in just in case he receive another attack, "How you feeling today?" Naruto looked up through his sandy brown eyelashes. Sasuke's hooded expression didn't change.

Ok, no sweat, he's not in a talking mood right now. Anything's better than being slashed to ribbons. Naruto sweep his tongue across his upper mouth and nearly blanched from the morning tang. Ugh he really needed to brush his teeth or drive a dump truck of Colgate on his tongue.

"Why'd you help me?" Came the un-expectingly soft question.

Naruto glanced up in awe for the first time giving Sasuke a full gaze. It'd been so long since he'd heard that voice; it was like that brief instant a car stopped before collision. His stomach and heart merged into a single gut. Then it dawned on him how soft the tenor was; it nearly made him look around the room to see if someone else was in here. "Come again?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke's scowl fastened tighter and he lifted his arm.

Oh hell no.

Naruto stuttered incoherently on instinct to back away as quick as he could, but the iron grip draped over his shoulder and locked him on the bed. "Stop struggling."

Naruto's eyes lit a blaze, salvaging a throaty growl that surprised even Sasuke, "Claw me again and see what happens. Ya got me last time, but trust I'm taking an eyeball or an ear, Biggie."

"Settle down," Sasuke relaxed the tension in his forearm. "I'm not trying to hurt you."

"Fuck no, you're gonna chop me up—lemme go, lemme go damn it!" Naruto was thinking of only surviving when he cracked his knuckles and swung wildly, hoping and praying he dented his attacker. He was pretty sure his cotton ball punches swiped a hole or too in Sasuke's chest before the solid arm curled around his elbow and waist, hauling him flat against a wall of greasy black fur that didn't yield from impact. "Sasuke, I swear to god—"

"Shut your mouth, your threats aren't worth a damn," A faintly amused voice ghosted against his cheek, warm currents sliding across his skin. "Now," Sasuke wormed into a comfortable position on his side and tugged Naruto's body along with him, "I'm thinking if I let you go, you'll retaliate, right? And then there's the fact that I don't want to hold you, so we got ourselves a problem."

"Tsk, ain't my fault," Naruto deadpanned pointedly. "Who exactly cut who here?"

"You grabbed my arm when I told you not to touch me," Sasuke had the absolute nerve to sound offended. "I reacted as anyone should when caught off guard."

"Whatever, like I—"Naruto thought he'd be freed when Sasuke's chin left his cheekbone—short lived when Sasuke's jawline came in his line of vision instead and those roping tightening black eyes, staring him into submission.

That's when he realized with an earth quaking shatter as his blue eyes went impossibly wide, what kind of position he and Sasuke were in. His slender arm was draped over Naruto's upper torso and a beefy thigh dragged lazily across his legs. Their faces were a lick away, trading horrid morning breathe, but besides that and Naruto crinkling his nose at the tarty smell, he wasn't all that uncomfortable. And . . . and . . .

Oh god.

Naruto disguised his gulp the best he could when noticing that something hot and brick heavy was settled against his knee. Why, why him? There was no way this was happening. Naruto dropped his eyes to the sleek, protruding Adam's apple, counting back and forth between one and ten. Nothing happened, he was still stuck. It wasn't a hoax or some conjured up dream. Naruto gulped again.

Sasuke's morning lumber wasn't far off from setting records judging by the swell. And whether this guy was human or not, Naruto would have to be a damn fool to not be aroused. Sasuke made it worse when he rolled his hips to the side and re-glued his mystery log higher on Naruto's thigh—just a couple of inches from his erection—_shit._

Naruto swallowed dust and his voice sounded just as graded when he mumbled, "Are you gonna let me go or keep hugging me? Not that I'm against hugs, but I ain't feeling this whole fuzz love thing. I think you got hair in my mouth." Naruto jerked back when he felt some slack and pulled as far to the edge of the bed as possible, looking like a roasted strawberry.

He wasn't entirely free of Sasuke's grasp since his arm rolled high on Naruto's collarbone and stayed there. Claw tips absently ticked over ruffled bandages, slipping over the hem of the wife beater. Sasuke's eyes stayed on Naruto's unsure expression. The apprehension probably made him stop because he pulled his hand back and tucked it under his ear as if nothing happened, "You never answered my question," he murmured, voice still dry and hoarse from sleep. "Why'd you help me?"

Naruto opened his mouth to answer what he'd rehearsed many times before, but really the explanation sounded so much like an ad off a cereal box, he closed his mouth and shook his head, "I have a heart." It seemed the perfect logic to go with.

"Right," Sasuke grumbled. He wasn't buying it. "Forgive me for thinking you have a hidden motive."

"You're forgiven."

Sasuke frowned, "That was sarcasm." He looked at Naruto's face with exasperation releasing from his nose. "I find it hard to believe after being clawed, you'd still keep me from dying." His eyes narrowed. "Interesting."

"That, I am," Naruto shrugged, eager to keep the conversation going. This was the most he'd heard Sasuke speak. "And for the record, I helped you 'cause my Ma and Pa implanted a sick conscious in my head. Had it just been me, I would've let your scrawny ass die." Dimly, he was getting pissed just thinking about it. "I'm not the kind of fool who gets fucked twice."

Sasuke pursed his lips, the only movement Naruto's notice beside those damned eyebrows, "I'd think you an idiot if you allowed it a second time." Sasuke sniffled, and flinched. His nose burned as did the rest of his body. He resisted bringing his hand up to massage the side of his temple where most of the registering pain resided.

This time when Naruto reared up, there was nothing holding him back and he pushed off the bed, onto his feet, keeping a steady watch on Sasuke's claws and eyes. "I'm gonna head to the kitchen," he felt he needed to say. "You hungry? Thirsty?"

"No," Sasuke softly sneered. "I'm fine."

Running a hand through his tangled spikes, Naruto rotated his head to the ceiling and sighed loudly, "You have to eat something. It's been nearly a week."

"I can manage."

"Not in this house," Naruto turned on his heel, heading for the door. "I'll fix you some soup and fish."

Sasuke locked a lukewarm glare on Naruto's back, "I said I'm not hungry."

"And I said I'm fixing you some fish and soup," Naruto snapped back fast. "Now shut the hell up and rest. I'll be back in a sec." For real, he was getting sick and tired of the bastard's attitude.

And like he was getting irritated with his stubborn streak, Sasuke was thinking the same exact thing.

* * *

Somewhere in the living room, a stomach growled. Kyuubi looked down over his t-shirt that concealed his inner monster. He was hungry. When was the last time he ate?

Thinking of that and tugging on the sleeves of this too-tight shirt he'd found, Kyuubi sagged on the couch, wishing he had something to gnaw his fangs on. Last night he foraged through somebody's closet looking for a new shirt and the biggest one who he could find was a size large. With a chest as wide as a linebacker, it was no guess that he looked uncomfortable as if poured in the yellow and white polo. Stretching out his long legs, Kyuubi flopped his arms over the two-seater couch and groaned a third time.

He was bored, sore, and hungry and pissed for no particular reason. Being the fox that he was, being cooped up did little to his feral personality. The apartment was small—_extremely cramped._ The hallway was only two inches from caressing his ears and if he tried to move at a speed faster than walking he was sure to run into something.

Bottom line, this royally sucked. Half of him wondered how Sasuke was doing since last night and the other half was dizzy from famine. He reached around for his tail and tucked the tip on his tongue, nibbling and suckling the fur point like caramel candy.

The time between where he was considering going out for a hunt and simply asking Naruto to fix him something, both his long ears snapped up. Feet sleepily shuffled down the hall, exiting out with a disgruntled yawn and joints crackling like a bag of chips. Kyuubi rolled up on his ass and caught Kiba coming from around the hall corner and disappearing in the kitchen.

_The dipshit. Yeah_.

Kyuubi paused, thinking over his brand new option. It wasn't Naruto but. . .

"Human, hey human, get me something to eat. I'm starving."

"The fuck—" Hold that phone because it's the wrong number. Kiba dipped his crazy chocolate head of hair out the kitchen opening, bewildered. "Say what?"

"Fix me breakfast," It was as polite as Kyuubi was going to be or could be.

Kiba stepped out wearing a short sleeve unbuttoned blue pajama shirt and silk black jersey shorts slinking off his lithe hips, with a peek of gray briefs showing from underneath, the cornerstone lines blindingly aiming down to his crotch. As skinny as this runt was, he had some muscular definition up and around his torso. Compared to Kyuubi of course, he was downright depraved, but he was toned enough to keep Kyuubi's eyes wandering for a second.

"Now see, I would've thought it over if you'd said the magic word," Kiba folded his arms and waited. "It begins with S; ends with Y. Come on now, you can do it."

"Now."

Kiba made the buzzer sound, "Wrong answer, try again. You don't win the prize for being a dick."

"Bump that," Kyuubi jolted back on the couch, spreading his muscular legs obscenely wide. "I don't beg for mines."

Kiba gritted his teeth, "Then don't bother asking until you get some manners. I don't know what you think we got running here, but my ass gotta be kissed before I do anyone a favor."

"Pfft, I'll pass on that thanks."

Kiba sucked his teeth and returned to the fridge, retrieving a can of orange soda from the top self and a straw from the left drawer. He slammed the fridge door closed and the drawer with enough power to rattle windows. _Talking to him any kind of way in his place_, _the bastard_. Kiba was livid but keeping it quietly to himself that the two animals were still trekking in here. They should've been long gone ages ago but no, like when Naruto found that frog as kids, he had to nurse every little dying thing back to life.

Kiba hopped on the edge of the counter, sticking his straw through the aluminum hole and roughly sucked the acidic sensation down his throat. He rarely ate breakfast. He didn't really see a point since it weighed him down before heading out to work and with him being a chaperone at the Skating Rink, he needed to stay as light on his feet as possible. So either a canned beverage or a quickie snack would do. Naruto always nagged him over it as much as his drinking issue, but the blond would never win. He was _Kiba _after all.

He always wins.

"Well and here I thought I'd have to get my own snack."

Kiba nastily looked up to Kyuubi's cocky smirk. He wanted to punch each tooth loose. Standing there all too big and shit for the apartment. He made the place look five sizes too small. Kiba blinked—and was that Naruto's shirt the jerk tried to squeeze his Greek body into? A latex glove would've given him better room. Nothing was left undefined. _Nothing_. Kiba could count each diamond-round abs from twenty miles away and the creases separating them. Those sweatpants needed to be burned and buried from how they were barely clinging to Kyuubi's hips, displaying the top of his the purple Fruit Loon waist band.

Kiba sipped his soda harder.

Kyuubi's red hair was braided over a shoulder and lapped at his right pectoral like a jealous tongue. It was long enough to play Double Dutch.

"Like what you see?"

Kiba jolted like he was slapped and recovered quickly, "Fuck you, I don't swing that way."

"That's fine, ya ain't my type either," Kyuubi pushed off the wall and limped in a way that showed he was used to getting what he wanted with that predatory sex appeal oozing off his strut. He jutted his hip on the side of the counter and reached out for Kiba's drink. "Lemme have some."

"As if," Kiba scooted to the side of the fridge and took a half empty sip. "Get your own."

Kyuubi only grinned wider, and inched over, electrifying the tension with the natural heat pulsing from his body. Kiba eyes slendered suspiciously. What was he up too? Kiba frowned when those mint green eyes amusingly crinkled and steeled as Kyuubi leaned his head, mouth unveiling his tongue. It coiled around the plastic straw and yanked it into the sodden pit, pressing his supple lips down tight.

Kiba's mouth fell open, stunned stupid. "The hell," He airily befuddled. Only his eyes followed the vanishing liquid from his can to the swallowing motion of Kyuubi's bobbing apple. "What, what are you doing?"

After a final deep slurp, Kyuubi pulled back, bathing his lips with his orange tinted tongue, "Mmm," fox green eyes purred, sealed tight in humored pleasure, "Tastes good." Taking a step back, Kyuubi swiped his thumb over his bottom lip and savored the dewdrop. He winked and backed out of the kitchen, tail lazily kinking behind his back.

Kiba was left frozen, mouth agape and an empty can in his hand.

_Son of a bitch._

* * *

Naruto didn't care or bother to ask Kiba why he was sitting there all stupefied and what not. So long as he wasn't in his way while he cooked, he could stay there. In the freezer, Naruto remembered they'd had a box of frozen tilapia from last week's meal. Some spare cans of chicken broth were in the pantry. Sasuke didn't need a heavy meal, just something light to tie him over until his stomach could handle solid foods.

With there only being four slices of fish left, why waste it? Naruto salted, seasoned and marinated the slabs in melted butter before broiling them in the oven. The broth was boiled for ten minutes with added noodle mixes and herbs to liven up the flavor. The bad thing was, when Naruto started cooking, he didn't know when to stop. That simple bowl of soup and fish soon morphed to a full course meal for everyone to enjoy. Steamed rice, fried pot stickers, tossed salad, the redesigned soup and baked fish.

Kyuubi was thrilled to tears when a heaping plate was placed in front of him and he dug in with earnest. Kiba took his share to the bedroom, promising to wash the dishes later tonight. Naruto portioned off small offerings on a two plates, balanced two bottles of water under his armpit and carried the meal to the guest room, "Sasuke, I got your food." He cautioned before jiggling the handle open.

The Cat Beast sat awake and focused intently outside the window at the gathering sunshine. Sasuke's legs were spread wide across the bed beneath the comforter—for once—and the signs of his guard weren't as stress as they usually were. Maybe he was getting suckered into the hospitality after all.

Naruto closed the door with his foot and stopped half way when Sasuke fixated a stare directly on his face. Stoic and lifelessly void, there was no depiction for how he was going to respond. Naruto wouldn't be frightened off by it.

He lifted his chin and marched to the edge of the bed, not presenting a flicker of uncertainty on his expression. Sasuke sat back against the bed board. Naruto carefully placed the food on the blanket surface, waiting for rejection to come by violence or immature batter. None came the entire time he set about getting the food ready and placing the water on the night stand. So far it looked like miracles did exist.

Now here would be the moment of possible hell raising, "Can you eat on your own or do you need help?"

Sasuke's pupils dilated, his dry cracked lips thinned distastefully and for a moment it looked like he'd throw a fit. The complete opposite happened as his shoulders deflated of their arrogance, "I need help," he softly grounded out. He turned his head away stiffly, pride cracking like an aged sidewalk.

Wow, it must've taken all his balls to get that out. Naruto however chuckled and sat on the bed, bowl and plate in his lap. "It's hot," he warned, spooning a piece of fish and soaking it in the broth. He blew over the slushing mixture until the smoke dissipated, "Here."

Sasuke shook his head once, "It's too hot."

"Sorry," Naruto blew over it again and tested a sip. That should do it. "Try it now."

Sasuke altered his gaze from the outstretched spoon and the stern blue eyes daring him to deny the gift. He'd give the brat credit for not crumbling down from him. Leaning forward, Sasuke opened his mouth and timidly suckled the whole spoon in his mouth. Sasuke licked his lips, expression deeply marveled by the succulent flavors abusing his taste buds.

It was fairly, or rather stunningly delicious. Juices from the fish spurted spiced and tanged gusto, as did the broth's buttery flood. Sasuke chewed and swallowed slow, not even shamed of revealing how good the food was. It blossomed a bubble of pride in Naruto's chest as he dipped the spoon for another attempt, and Sasuke willingly came to meet the spoon half way.

Richly relished in other worldly flavors, the urge to dive in and lick the bowl clean was thankfully bemused as Sasuke sampled every drop until none remained.

Naruto was pleased. Very pleased and inwardly cheered when he noticed Sasuke eyeing the other plate of food belonging to him. "You can have it," He shoved the dish forward.

Sasuke looked at him strangely, "It's yours."

"We got plenty, don't worry about it." Naruto delivered his famous Colgate smile, insisting with a lightly aggressive push of the plate. "I'll eat later."

Sasuke hesitated.

Naruto pouted, and reached for the spoon, making show of shoving it down his throat. Sasuke glared right back, unfazed.

"If there's plenty," Sasuke finally mumbled, not breaking eye contact. "Then you should eat. I'll get more later."

"I'm telling you to eat it. I can't take care of myself. I can get a decent meal anytime. There's no telling when it was the last time you ate." And by the time Naruto fattened him back up, maybe he'd get some answers about their origin. "Now enjoy."

Sasuke's eyes went razor thin. "No," It finalized any useless point of trying to convince him otherwise.

And Naruto knew he'd lost this round. "Fine, jerk." He snatched the plate away and heartily dug in, shoving spoonful after spoonful into his mouth. Naruto was mad at himself, _again._ His usually restrained temper has reared its ugly head more than a handful of times and it was the fault of a Cat that had no business looking as good as he did. He popped another square of soup soggy fish in his mouth and cut his blue eyes to Sasuke.

He jumped when Sasuke's look fiercely pumped gasoline, struck a match and swooshed a murderous fire. Naruto carefully collected his water bottle and downed half of it in a single setting, still wondering why he was being granted a wicked expression. After recapping the bottle, he blinked, bunching his lips to the corner as he glanced Sasuke up and down with extra attitude, "The hell you staring at?"

So intent on picking at the remnants of his leftovers the wet sudden pinch on his jaw didn't register right away, until turning his head forcefully to Sasuke. Blue clashed with black so much a new color was milked and blended. The glare of the morning sun blinded him to what happened next, as a tidal wave of Irish Spring slashed his nostrils.

Sasuke pulled Naruto forward. The blond paralyzed when he felt a warm muscle stroke casually over his corner lip, grainy rough and moist against his mouth. He froze, processing that yes, this was Sasuke—and his _tongue _licking over his mouth.

Naruto was stalk white.

"Are you crazy?!" He shrieked something similar to a dog whistle, entire face spray painted red. "Jesus man, take me out to dinner first!"

Sasuke leaned away licking his lips, "Be quiet." He coolly said. "It wasn't like that. You had a piece of fish on your lip. It was getting on my nerves."

Naruto cupped his hand over his mouth, "I don't care. You could've said something instead of kissing me," He yelped.

"I didn't _kiss_ you, idiot."

"Yes you did! I-I'm so violated. Oh shit, oh god, I'm pregnant."

Sasuke sent him a dirty look for that. Naruto scrambled up on his feet from the stumble he'd taken on the floor to get away.

A traumatizing silence suddenly retired between the pair.

Naruto sigh, lowering his palm, alternating from Sasuke's mouth to the silky saliva left behind. "Let's, let's keep this between his us."

"Sure," Sasuke stared, boringly. "I'm going back to sleep." He gave his back to Naruto and defrosted the rest of the incident like the weather had just turned to rain. With a wiggled swish of his tail, Sasuke was out before Naruto remembered to breathe.

"Yeah, you do that," Mortified, Naruto didn't bother with getting the dishes and simply left the room.

He stood awkwardly scrubbing at the sharp tingle behind the door, and teased the bottom half of his lip between his teeth. It was out of habit, he didn't understand until the tart taste of Sasuke electrocuted his tongue. For a brief minute, Naruto contemplated over devouring his whole mouth. No, No that's gross.

Suddenly. . .

"Oh God," He quietly screeched, keeping straight view of the wall as he hesitantly dusted his hand down over his pajama crotch, stopping just past actually making contact. Hot mucus subtly soaked his front, like a serious cause getting ready to be laid.

Naruto cupped over his erection and shot down the hall like the hounds of hell were on his ass and locked the bathroom to shower. Shivering like a cold puppy, Naruto sunk down to the floor thinking his eyes couldn't get any wider. Sasuke was still recovering. For goodness sakes, he could barely walk and. . . Lord help him, he was lusting after a cat.

He, he needed help.

* * *

**TBC: This story's fairly long guys so no worries about it being a quick romance. So how'd you like this chapter? ^_^**


	6. Missing Something

**Author's Rant**: I think I'm in love with this story. Enjoy ^_^

* * *

**Missing Something**

* * *

He was no good at paying attention to his studies today. His mind was busily storing images of previous days that involved something other than ordinary. Such as remembering if Sasuke had enough to eat or if he'd started bleeding from scratching at his bandages or if he was sleeping well, etc. Those kinds of things kept him from focusing on school work and it was definitely not healthy for his grades. _Come on now, focus, focus, Sasuke's fine. It's not like he's home alone. Kyuubi's there with him. If something happens they know where he is. _

School reopened Monday morning, and little was done except catching up on lessons missed and handing out grades from the other week's exam. Political Science couldn't have gone any slower or stressfully boring. Then again, it could've been because his professor was a complete jerk.

Professor Kakuzu—no one knows his last name since he says a semester isn't long enough to know him that well—is the prefect definition of ass-to-the-hole. He assigns lessons on subjects discussed for a brief fifteen minutes and expects the rest to be handled by the students, since he theorized they were all old enough to go to college and had enough common sense to know what to do.

When the clock struck its hands in the appropriate numbers, Naruto shot out of class, not even bothering to stuff his supplies in his book bag. All of that could be taken care off during the sprint from point A to point B.

His first mission of coming to school was a done deal until Wednesday. Now it was just making it to his job before two.

As much as Naruto enjoyed putting off time at work, he knew he was going to have to eventually come in because his boss wasn't the kind of guy you told you had more important things to do. Getting there was going to be tough too, due to the cleaning recovery of the city. It was eighty percent cleared free of debris on the roads and sidewalks. Most of it was piled in sectioned-off parts of town for garbage and city crewman to pick up later.

Naruto needed to get through the roads and sidewalks before the city shut them down for an hour of repair again. No civilians were allowed in the open areas until sanitation duties were accomplished. However, besides avoiding cleaning duty, Naruto had his own reasons for waiting to escape the school terrain like the hounds of hell were on his heels.

He was dodging through the crowded halls, sometimes with his back pressed against the wall to keep from being seen. It was unnaturally convenient that the person he was looking for had a great connection to his job, but Naruto just wasn't feeling up to dealing with his Biochemistry professor today. If Naruto was lucky, he'd beat the man outside before he could offer him a ride in his _no air conditioned_ Station Wagon.

Its ninety four degrees today and only going to get hotter. Cooking in that dirty junk box was not on his agenda, nor listening to how much Naruto needed to be religiously converted.

Naruto clutched his books to his chest, darting a narrow glance across the halls. All clear. Good. He raced down the stairs and burst through the double doors, a free man. The parking lot asphalt elevated transparent heat waves like a steam bath. Naruto felt the sweat embracing his most personal areas and it filming over the top of his lip and the space of his armpits. Only been out here a hot minute and already the sun was being a cruel bastard.

Naruto hadn't stopped running though. As long as he was in range of the school premises, he faced seeing that psycho path. The sidewalk leading to the rest of the city was all that remained and he was only a hundred meters away. Freedom tasted like the last slurp of a frosty and he would make it. He cut through the cars, dipped and ducked whenever he saw a head of silver and kept going.

Unfortunately by the time he rose from his hunkered position he'd looked down at his cellphone to check the time and nearly collided into the person he'd been avoiding. When those bloody red eyes ran through him like a steak knife, Naruto knew he was a goner.

"Runnin' out one me again huh? And what I told ya about runnin' on campus?" The red eyed teacher sneered. "And why the hell didn't you meet me in my class?"

Ah, shit. Naruto locked up from head to toe, a cheesy smile parting away to shiny teeth, "Sorry, I waited for you, but ya know how Zabuza gets." His professor gave him a skeptical once over that made Naruto quick to defend his lies. "Honest, I thought you might've left early. Ask Mr. Gai I went in there—"

"Alright, alright damn just shut up. I take a twenty minute break to pray and you up and run out on me. May Jashin always remember to—"

"As much as I wanna be purged of my sins," Naruto cut through prissily. "I gotta be at work in another twenty minutes," Time to burn the rubber to the rims. He didn't wait for his _unwanted _ride to follow. Naruto knew where the raggedy vehicle was parked and took every ounce of effort in trying to not be seen approaching it.

It was anyone's wonder how this man became one of the top candidates in the university for teaching Biochemistry. His entire demeanor just didn't fit the code. Professor Hidan, graduated from an extremely prestigious, religious institute from overseas and just so happened to be Naruto's boss' main squeeze. Hidan felt it his loyal duty to help his mate's hardest worker to his employment and found it a pointless waste of gas when both of them headed there after classes anyway. Naruto couldn't have agreed more with that logic, except the playing factor was that his car was equip with an air conditioning that worked well enough to start his own North Pole.

Hidan was always stuck having to drive the souped-up bucket because his boyfriend would leave early enough to snatch the other car that had working circulation.

The walk was tedious, it was dreading and Naruto wished each step was a larger one then the last. Anything to hurry and get this embarrassment over with. Naruto sagged against the rust red station wagon, hooding a hand over his eyes from the fanning sunlight and the students looking from him to the car. He peeked through eyes to see Hidan strolling toward him, whistling a nice tune, rolling the key chain around his index, not at all ashamed. Unlocking the car shouldn't have been embarrassing but Hidan wasn't up to speed with the more modern programing. He had to manually left the doorknob as well as reach across the front seat to unlock Naruto's side. Here's the real kicker. Naruto couldn't open the door because the side he was on had no latch. Hidan had to open it for him and side over the sticky, leather that smelled that wet socks.

Naruto refused to scowl around at the filth littered around his feet. Water bottles, scattered class reports, the overflowing ash tray filled with wrinkled butts, and the basket from last week stumbled to the side with dirty laundry—Naruto sniffed and sighed. There pet dog must've left a surprise under the seat because the foul stench was unusually strong today.

The car cranked up, Naruto closed his eyes and waited. The exhaust pipe gurgle no mercy, the engine was suffering abuse, and throughout the warnings for a checkup, Hidan was reaching in his pocket for a cigarette. "You want one?" He asked, smacking the white box against his palm, expression serious.

Naruto scooted as close to the door as he could, dropping his chin in his hand, "No, you know I don't smoke."

"Hm, too bad," Hidan lit the end and inhaled until the orange engulfed a full half of the cancer stick. The misty death filled the car with a sour sizzle. "You got ya seatbelt on?"

"Yeah."

"Ya better," Hidan put the car in reverse, and sharply whipped out with one hand on the steering wheel and the other plucking his cigarette from his mouth. On the left turn out of the parking lot, the car let off a wicked cough and stuttered as it dragged its sickness down the stretched road.

_Stutter stutter pop cough roooooom pop pop_

"Hidan?" Naruto sat up fast. "What was that?"

Hidan shrugged, "Probably the exhaust pipes." He propped his smoker on the edge of his lips and skimmed his hand across the dashboard, while merging in and out of traffic. Naruto refused to look up because if he did, there would've been a high chance of wetting his pants and there was no need to contribute to the already funky car. At last, Hidan finally found his treasure and pulled out a crumbled bag of bar-b-que pork chips.

They nearly hit a semi when Hidan unfolded the plastic and tried to devour the rest of the chips in a single gulp. After properly cursing the truck driver with warnings of Jashin's divinity, they were back on track.

Swiping off the saline droplets off his brow, Naruto sunk in the center of his seat. He truly hoped he made it to work in one piece.

* * *

The Tiki Hut Lounge was one of a kind. A unique culturally diverse setting that composited a wide variety of contributions that warmed and invited, with an atmosphere that comforted all who entered the tropical environment. The owner was not one you'd expect to be in charge of a positively styled place. He was a rehabilitated veteran of the military and divorced with two children, both sons and one of them happening to be Naruto's on and off again, lover. He was tall, slightly muscular with short, chocolate brown hair, and just as thin eyes with the personality of an unshaved sword. He was fine to hang with majority of the time, but when it came to his kids, his business or money, he wasn't one to fuck around with.

With it being the middle of the afternoon, popularity was slowed and the lights shut down completely letting the sun keep it well lit. The walls were painted brilliant reds and hula gold flowers snaking from the floor, connecting in wild vines to the ceilings. For each table there was a wide leafed fan swirling above head with a momentary mist blowing every few seconds for extra cool relief. Excitement was the only sort of vibe that triggered this place to life. Add the excellent quality foods, decent service and great prices, it was the best joint to crash, during the day or at night.

Naruto and Hidan made it in the Hut five minutes before Naruto needed to clock in and his employer was not pleased.

Standing behind the bar stand cleaning off some wine flutes, Zabuza was dressed in a black short sleeve polo and dark blue apron, narrowly alternating his glare from employee to lover several times before speaking, "I ain't paying you to come in here whenever ya like, kid. Five minutes till means five minutes late."

Naruto rolled his eyes, grabbing his uniform shirt off the rack and slinging it over his shoulder, "What the hell you complaining for? It ain't like we got customers to serve right now."

"Shut the hell up and get in gear. You got five minutes and most of that can be used getting dressed. And you," He directed to Hidan's lazy walking stride. "Why didn't you pick up Haku today from daycare? You know how much they charge after hours?"

"Back off Zabuza, it's too hot for that shit," Hidan trailed around to an empty stool, and hoped up. "You know I had to give a test today. Why can't Suigetsu pick the brat up?"

"Cause, he's got school. You know the daycare closes at three," Zabuza slammed a clean glass in front of Hidan, picking up the hose and filling it to the brim with coke and light rum. "I'm not trying to pay an extra five for every ten minutes he's stuck there."

Hidan rudely snatched the drink and dropped a straw in to mix, "Suigetsu gets out of school at two thirty. What's he doing in those thirty minutes besides fuckin' around?"

Same ole argument and same ole finish. Naruto emerged from the back still wishing he could figure out how these two managed to have an established relationship for fifteen years. Neither of them wanted marriage but stayed in one house. Despite their dysfunctional commitment and loud obscenities portrayed for the world, Naruto had caught the two in private quarters exchanging apologies and sharing some disturbingly sweet gestures.

Like now, as he trudged around the corner post, he found Hidan leaning across the bar counter trying to touch Zabuza's ass.

"Hey Naruto, finally made it in," Naruto turned around to find one of the waitresses he hung with from time to time. She was pretty, spiky blonde hair as gold as his and viciously lovely green eyes. She was wearing the same uniform as Naruto: khaki slacks, jet black polo with the words TIKI HUT printed on the back in tie dye and jet black Reeboks.

Naruto bumped his chin, "How you doing baby?" He looped an arm around her shoulders. "When we gonna play doctor?"

"As soon as you learn to appreciate a woman's vagina over a man's penis," Temari unhooked Naruto's arm, teasingly elbowing his ribs. "You better watch yourself unless you want Choji coming here after you again."

Naruto laughed, "Choji wouldn't dare. He knows how much we play."

"Uh huh just make sure he knows that the next time you want to play doctor."

Naruto chuckled, and suddenly swiveled his head from side to side, making sure they were alone before he leaned in and whispered, "Say, have you told him yet?"

Temari did the same, making sure Zabuza wasn't paying attention, "No because it's hasn't been confirmed," She sighed, placing a hand over her flat abdomen. "The doctor says it'll take about a week before he can say, but I'm pretty sure I am." Her smile was pure gold as she reached out to grip Naruto's hand. "I'm so nervous, what if I am pregnant?"

Naruto squeezed, "Then Choji's gonna be one lucky ass man. He's been waiting for you guys to have a kid," he smiled as well. "I just thought you'd wait until after you were married and school."

"I did too, but things happen you know? I have another four months before graduation. Maybe we can fit the wedding somewhere in between."

"Maybe."

Temari paused, tilting her head to the side and squinted her eyes, "Naruto," she stepped up to him and reached out to his collarbone, fingers grazing over what she could see were fading red scars. She pulled harder against his protests and gasped, "Oh my, what the hell happened to you?"

"Shh, shush Temari you want everybody to know?" Naruto snapped his head up and around, thankfully seeing no one having heard her outburst. He fixed up his shirt, making sure the tip of the injury wasn't visible, "I just got into a scrap with some folks down town. One of them had a switch blade and a couple of razors."

"Naruto," She drawled tiredly. "How many times are you going to keep getting caught up in these fights? What was it for this time? Money? A guy? Or did they just piss you off?" She tried to look at his cuts again but he stepped back. "Naruto let me see, those look pretty deep. Have you been checked out?"

"No cause they're just flesh cuts. Stop worrying so much."

"I'll stop worrying when you learn to go a week without picking fights."

"Now, now, now, what's this? I know you two ain't over here fighting again," Two long arms ensnared Naruto's waist and tugged back. Naruto felt the kiss and purring lick around his ear, leaning back into Suigetsu's arms. "Hey baby."

"Hey," Naruto nuzzled his temple on the side of Suigetsu's jaw.

"What ya'll over here fighting about?" Suigetsu looked up, acknowledging Temari with a chin jut. "What's up Temari?"

"Not much," She stiffly returned, and patted Naruto's arm. "Call me later ok?"

Naruto nodded. When Temari was out of ear shot, he wasted every drop of weight in Suigetsu's embrace, massaging the space between his eyes. He was tired, mentally and physically drained. Having taken care of Sasuke and Kyuubi during the weekend was trying in itself, but he was satisfied with the outcome. Sasuke was healing, gaining small amounts of weight and eating on his own. Kyuubi's leg to Naruto's disbelieving shock wasn't as banged up as before and Kyuubi made it his civic duty to boost about a Beast's ability to heal much faster than humans.

Well, that meant that Naruto could now put more focus into getting Sasuke back on his feet. There hadn't been as much tension between them as it had been in the beginning but they weren't fully comfortable either. Naruto had once flinched when Sasuke reached out to grab his bowl from the tray. Sasuke wouldn't speak much except when he was around Kyuubi. Naruto deduced the thick stress revolving around trust issues.

The Cat Beast accepted Naruto's hand with tending to his wounds, but there was still a leveled boundary he wasn't willing to budge from. Naruto pondered it over inside. He'd declared the subject of Sasuke and Kyuubi's past to be a discussion for a later date when they came to trust him and Kiba more.

Well, that depended also if they were planning to stay that long after they were mended and healthy again.

Naruto raised an eyebrow when teething nibbles traced along the throbbing vein on his throat. "You've gone quiet," Suigetsu crooned in his ear. "I hope that means you're thinking of better things we can do instead of standing here."

Naruto's eyes closed, relaxing into Suigetsu's touch. His head rolled to the side, exposing a wide land of skin for the lavender eyed lover to taste with open mouthed kisses. "I was just. . ." Naruto squirmed when his favorite spot was suckled. "I was just thinking about stuff."

"Mm mm what kind of stuff?" Suigetsu cupped his hands on Naruto's hips. "Good stuff, bad stuff?"

Naruto grinned like the cat that caught the canary, "Bad stuff."

"Oh," A hard twist warped Naruto in Suigetsu's arms, "Want to show me?" His palms circled and squeezed on Naruto's hips, slipping sexily down to cup the under plump of his ass.

"Yeah, I'd love too."

Suigetsu growled and greedily took Naruto's lips between his canine fangs, anchoring down hard enough to leave a pricked dent. The blond loved that they never went about it slow. It was always steamy, straight forward and never gentle. Soggy smacking and hot moans. Naruto gathered Suigetsu's shirt in a bunch between his fingers, pulling them in close enough to combust. He would never get enough of kissing this man.

"You two, this is a public establishment!" They heard Zabuza shout from across the room, although it sounded so much further away. "I pay you to work not slob my floors. Suigetsu, get your hot ass in the kitchen and wash some dishes. You and Naruto can do that on your own time."

A sad pity, Naruto was the one to pull free, keeping it as lasting as he could until freeing himself from Suigetsu's arms. "Later, when I get off," he promised and licked his lips. "We can cash that rain check at your place."

One of the silver-haired man's hands traveled back up to Naruto's nape, and pulled him in for another quick, deep kiss. "You better be ready cause you left me hot on the beach last week." He leaned in, and whispered. "Let's do it at my dad's house. It's closer."

"Eager to get me in bed?"

"You know it baby."

"Suigetsu, those dishes ain't got enough hands to wash themselves!" Hidan shouted that time.

"Alright, alright shit. I heard ya the first time!" After one more chaste kiss, Suigetsu swaggered off, sending a death glare to his father and step-father. "I don't say squat to ya'll when you trying to bump your coconuts. Why ya gonna dip in my business Dad?"

"Boy," Zabuza threatened to leap across the counter. "You better get that head outta your ass." He tossed a clean rag at him and pointed to the back room. "Get your lanky butt in there and start scrubbing before I smack the shit outta your wet ears."

"Yeah Dad, yeah," Suigetsu blew an air kiss in Naruto's direction and disappeared behind the double rubber doors.

Naruto was sure he looked stupid standing there almost giggling like a school girl but he didn't care. This moment was called for. He was going to get laid and have a load of stress released in the best way.

* * *

_Life is a magic thing  
Yeah, yeah  
Life is a magic thing  
Yeah, yeah, yeah_

_When the sleepy planet comes alive_  
_And I wake up in the warm sunlight_  
_There's a simple harmony to life_  
_A magic thing_

_Then I walk among the flowers and trees_  
_(It's a magic thing)_  
_And I feel the earth beneath my feet_  
_(It's a magic thing)_  
_And I remember that the air we breathe_  
_Is a magic thing_

_Life is a magic thing_  
_Yeah, yeah_  
_Life is a magic thing_  
_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

Liquid relaxing music cooed off the bass of the radios selected by a curious red haired Fox Beast as he scoured around the world of which he was not used too. After he learned which side goes where, Kyuubi was swaying his tail from this way to that, booming the rhythm behind his lips.

Books, CDs, magazines, anything that was stacked neatly in the shelves were pulled out and examined with intrigued speculation. Kyuubi retrieved and flipped through every sort of object with pictures, or graphic arts gawking at the most perverse pictures and scanning over whatever looked more depicted then the others. Sasuke had finally come out of his horded up darkness, lying down on the couch, watching his partner explore the apartment like an awed child's first trip to the candy store.

This was the first time they were left alone; Naruto having to attend to affairs outside of here and Kiba having to do similar responsibilities.

No shiny spark was left uninvestigated and if it was left to Kyuubi, he'd pluck the dust off the carpets and sniff it too. Speaking of smells, "Have you noticed how sweet it is in here?" He questioned over his shoulder, picking up another CD of a woman and man embracing. He sniffed it and dropped it on the floor, looking through the rest of the collection. "I keep smelling lemonade and cinnamon."

"It's probably the incense they use," Sasuke absentmindedly replied. Rolling on his side, his back to Kyuubi, Sasuke sunk his face against the back support cushion, and released more of the tightness in his muscles.

"Hn," Kyuubi found a magazine beautifully displaying pictures of nude women and race cars, deciding to make this one his favorite to look through. His nose was dug deep into studying the designs and shapes as he trotted over to sit on the floor in front of Sasuke. "What's eating you?"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder, "What?"

"You're quieter than usual; that shit's suicidal ya know," Kyuubi turned his head, raising a thin brow. "What's on your mind or would I rather not know?"

Sasuke caught himself before letting his emotions sculpt his face, "It's nothing." He twisted back over. "I'm tired."

Kyuubi frowned. He wasn't buying that bit at all. Closing the magazine, he rose off the floor and settled down on the edge, reaching out slowly so as not to startle Sasuke, "You're ready to leave aren't you?" He asked when his hand landed on Sasuke's shoulder. "Aren't you worried about being turned in?"

"I never said I was ready to leave," Sasuke ignored the Kyuubi's relaxing sigh and continued on, "but we'll need too soon. They're bound to come looking for us soon."

"Yeah but I doubt they'll think of looking in a place like this. I mean, who would really care to help a couple of Beasts?"

Naruto did obviously, but Sasuke wouldn't admit that aloud, "I'm not trying to go back there Kyuubi."

Kyuubi's ears kicked back in a tight coil, "I ain't either, but I'm not gonna let them run my life when I'm out. Shit Sasuke, you're acting like you're still prowling the cage. All this open room? Man, you better let loose." He rose from the couch with an extra pat on Sasuke's shoulder, giving the Cat Beast some time to himself.

Sasuke had a lot to think about. Plenty to think over. He would never get over the cramped dungeons, the bright lights, the violent chaos day in and out. It was a permanent part of who he was and how he came to be what he didn't want to be; a weary, cold, bruised spirit. Every moment would be thought of as the next when he'd be placed back behind bars and done with as they chose. The strangest and sickest part of it was that he'd been the one to go into that world willingly.

He'd decided to go for it.

He'd volunteered to be used.

He'd choose that route of life.

He knew the consequences.

And still he ran away like a coward. Facing the mistakes caused by yourself was hardest of all. All one can do is escape and hope to never experience such a tragedy again.

Keys jiggled. Sasuke was up on his feet as was Kyuubi exiting the kitchen. Tails wagged agitatedly, ears folded flat against their heads and claws erected as far as they could stretch. Waiting was always the most difficult; the anticipation, unknowing.

They relaxed when the odors registered. Sharing a look, the two shackled back somewhat embarrassed at what they'd done. It'd be a long while before those particular instincts weren't automatic anymore. When the door finally opened, Sasuke quirked an eyebrow when Naruto stepped through the door with armfuls of delicacies bundled in brown paper and white plastic bags. His left ear dropped when all he noticed where leafy produce and no other sources of meat.

"What's all this?" Kyuubi asked, squatting by the table to poke at the bags curiously. He pressed his nose to the bags looking for something other than green and sneered contently in the back of his throat when he caught wind of raw meat.

"Groceries," Naruto grunted, placing the last of his items on the counter tops and dinner table. Sasuke stood and followed him into the kitchen behind Kyuubi, watching Naruto arrange everything accordingly in the cabinets, under the sinks and in the pantries. Sasuke's tail wriggled behind him. He was a feline by nature, he couldn't help the buzzing need to sniff at and figure out every little thing Naruto pulled from the bags.

Flour, raw fish, cereal grains, sugar, spices, roast beef, uncooked chicken, a box of raspberries, cinnamon, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant, rice both white and brown, mustard, ketchup, frozen dinners—Sasuke jerked back when a box was shoved directly in his face. He frowned at it and the olive beige hand holding it out.

Naruto blinked. "Here, take it."

Sasuke didn't at first, sniffing the top label, "What is it?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, clucking his tongue as if Sasuke had asked the record breaking dumb question, "Read the box. It's says Tuna Crackers. I thought you might like them for snacks when I'm not here to cook," He handed Kyuubi a box of beef flavored crackers too.

Sasuke seemed to wait for them as Naruto did—then he blinked realizing why he was suddenly put off with Naruto. He leaned in and buried his nose in the ruffles of sunflower yellow. "You smell strange," he murmured to himself and Naruto's ears. "Salted and _soiled_."

Roars of crimson burned Naruto's ears and neck, "Um yeah, I kinda had something to take care of after work. It's why I'm a little late coming home." He cleared his throat and finished off putting away the rest of the items. "Anyway, how are you feeling? Do I need to check you?"

Sasuke stared at him, eyes skinny oil slits. For the longest he said nothing. He needn't have too. Naruto could feel as much as mentally understand the thoughts processing through Sasuke's mind and he tried his best to ignore the accusations.

Then it slammed him like a ton of concrete. Why was he giving a damn if Sasuke knew he had sex? Last he checked both his parents were long gone and he'd done it with Suigetsu on a regular basis even then. That seemed enough to trigger a cleanup of Naruto's humiliation and created a fixed ridged down his spine, more confident and sturdy. "It's rude to stare you know," He snippily informed.

Sasuke finally snorted, or if Naruto could really call it that. It came not from his mouth but from his chest, "Contradicting yourself?" Sasuke surprised at how edgy his own voice sounded. "It's rude to lie too, but I see you have no problem doing that."

"Excuse me?" Naruto laid down some salt, pepper and hot sauce on the counter before adding very slowly in a controlled tone. "Sasuke, not that it's any of your business, and it really isn't, but outside of taking care of you, I do have a life." He turned to face those freshly boiling eyes, hand anchored on the kitchen counter, the other cupped around his hip. "Like it or not, if you got a problem with me doing what I damn well please, then you're got some issues needing to be dealt with. I don't need to explain myself to you, and I don't plan on doing it anytime soon."

"Oh _really?_"

"Yeah _really_. You got a problem with how I do things you can get the hell out."

Sasuke downed his head to even level with Naruto's defiant gaze and let the fires boil him alive. "If that's the case, let me play that game too," He didn't wait for Naruto to say a word. "The next time you want to ask about me, don't bother. Don't ask about my personal life. Don't ask me about my past again and if you got a problem about me giving a slight damn about what you do, then you won't give a shit if I go out and have a couple of fucks too?"

Naruto's eyes were the widest in the universe and his throat going through a terrible drought. No matter how much Sasuke pissed him off just then, or plainly outted him for having got a quickie. . . . he was still mildly attracted to him. Those hooded dark eyes were cutting the strings hanging his stomach and letting it roll around the tips of his toes. The heat was securing as an electric blanket, wrapped snug around Naruto's body and with Sasuke so close, he could feel every warm fiber.

Damn the stupid things this fool did to him. They were totally unnatural.

"Fine," Naruto gritted out at last, snapping his face up in the air and bumping a shoulder. "Do whatever you want. Just make sure whoever you plan to fuck isn't worried about breaking some PETA law."

Sasuke blinked the only sign that he comprehended the insult. A chuckle was heard, a thunderous vibration emitting from his chest cavity as well as in Naruto's deflated stomach. Sasuke's breath came languidly soft and hot, leaning down to the round edge of Naruto's ear, "I think you would know best about that wouldn't you? Or was it just my imagination that you tried to look down my pants that night?"

The bristle visibly raked Naruto's body, be it from the effect of being caught red handed for a crime he thought himself innocent of, or the way Sasuke's voice caressed him like the sticky pour of milk and honey.

"You wanted to fuck me that night, right?

"No, no I didn't!"

"Yeah, you did. Don't deny it. I could smell the sex dripping off your dick," Sasuke coolly smirked.

Well shit, caught red handed like a boy sticking his hand in a cookie jar full of condoms. Naruto couldn't swallow past the pleasurable lump clogging his windpipes. There was a moan there begging to come forth, but Naruto wouldn't give the bastard the satisfaction. He stepped back, no longer wanting to see the triumphant in those black eyes. "Go to hell," he heatedly finished and marched out of the kitchen with the darkest shade of storm blue clouding his eyes.

After a short while, Sasuke too left the kitchen heading back to the guest room.

And that just left Kyuubi looking at the spaces where the two had just been only seconds before. His eyes sparkled a green gleam and a mischievous bewilderment, "Well I'll be damned." He hadn't a clue as to what just happened but boy if he wasn't entertained just then. If he'd didn't know better he'd swear up and down Sasuke was jealous, but knowing him it was probably for selfish reasons rather than sexual possession. He barely knew Naruto enough for it to be taken that far.

Kyuubi rocked back and forth on the counter before hopping off to return to his exploits. Kiba walked through the front door dressed in his Skater Rink uniform, a purple and red stripped t-shirt and black slacks. He noticed the music a minute into taking off his sneakers and frowned wondering when Naruto got a taste for old school tropical. Then he looked over to the playing boom box and flushed a dark red.

He knew those were his khaki cargos bent over, rocking here and there and the ass belonging to them was a dead man. "Kyuubi," he growled, kicking off his last shoe. "What did I tell you about touching my stuff?"

Both pointy long ears slashed upward as Kyuubi looked around, annoyed. "Who you talking to like that?" He tsk'ed his lips and went back to rummaging through the discs. "You better learn to respect your elders' boy." Kyuubi stood with a yellow and green disc case in hand, turning it around to stare at the colorful arrangements and deciding he liked this one best.

"Respects gotta be earned and you're on a real low budget of getting any from me," Kiba walked up and snatched his property away. "Learn to take people's junk into consideration and," he looked around at the disarray littered in this part of the apartment. "Learn to clean up after yourself too. It's a pig pen in here!"

Kyuubi snatched the plastic case from Kiba's hand, "I'll clean up when I'm finished looking around."

Kiba took it right back, "You'll do it now."

Kyuubi managed to wrestle it from Kiba again and held it high, "Oh for real? And who's gonna make me?"

When Kiba went in to attempt a steal, Kyuubi backed away, "So it's like that huh? Alright then," Kiba pushed back his sleeves to the ball of his shoulders and cuffed his pants legs. "Bring it."

Kyuubi's eyes brilliantly shined, "It's been brought." He winked and that sent Kiba off.

A struggle commenced. Kyuubi held the disc high above his head, using his height as the unfair advantage and his long arm as a guard. Kiba wasn't going to be outdone. He wormed and snuck under the Fox Beast's stretched arm and was pressed chest to abdominals, reaching up higher and higher on the tip of his toes. "Come on Kyuubi, grow up!"

A bark of laughter, "What, you giving up already?— Whoops, almost got it that time, Baby Boy!"

"Quit playin'! Just give it here," Kiba strained on his toes again, pressing his left hand on Kyuubi's chest to stay supported. He reached and reached it was within range and he knew it was only because Kyuubi let it be. Rage sketched across Kiba's face like a bad portrait and Kyuubi was enjoying every minute of fucking with this guy.

By the time Kiba had gotten tired, he relaxed, sliding down Kyuubi's chest and pouting to the side. "Fucking bastard," he snootily grunted.

"Who's the child now?" Kyuubi rested his free hand on the small of Kiba's back. "Look at you, pouting like a lil' girl." He leaned their chests together and smiled too wide, exposing a sharp fang. "Wanna try again?"

Kiba wiggled against him and Kyuubi pressed down to keep him still, puzzling his crotch to Kiba's stomach. Kiba froze as stiff as road kill and jerked away as if scorched. His expression was a priceless gap from eyes to mouth and chest panting unevenly as he menacingly looked Kyuubi's unaffected stance up and down. He couldn't believe what'd just happened. He was planted up against another man. Fuck that, he didn't want the CD that much. "Fuck you," He breezily grunted and marched out of there to his bed room.

Kyuubi tossed the case up and down in his hand before figuring it wasn't worth keeping anymore and went back to thumbing through the selections again. This time he had a nasty little smirk on his face.

He just loved fucking with that boy.

* * *

**Song:** Ferngully: Life is a Magic Thing: I do not own the song.


	7. Middle Ground

**Author's Rant:** Thanks for the participation babycakes. Enjoy ^_^

_Side Note: ~Don't worry I'm working on Chapter 8 lol. I just wanted to inform you all that **PorcelainBitch** made a sexy_ _drawing of Kyuubi on deviantart. The link is on my profile~_

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**Middle Ground**

* * *

Naruto screwed up every line on his face into a yarn of attitude as he snatched the jar of strawberry jelly and dumped half of it on his plate until a gooey heap of it toppled over the edge. He backed from the table before it landed in his lap. Nothing has yet to happen the way he wanted it to lately. It's just been one more fuck up after the next. All morning he's just been having one mishap after the other and he blamed that sorry excuse for a jinx sitting in the back room. No, that was stupid. Naruto was man enough to admit he was in the wrong as much as Sasuke was.

It wasn't something he had to like agreeing too, but he did anyway and went back to trying to devour his mini breakfast with a viciousness he couldn't help.

They'd fought a week ago and since then they didn't spare so much as a glance in the other's direction. Sasuke would come out once or twice out of the day to get something to eat or exercise in the living room. A few times he would come out in the middle of the night and sit on the balcony railing, staring at the stars as if waiting for each one to fall from the sky.

Naruto caught him doing it once. He hadn't meant to startle him when he went out the front door. It was actually the same spot Naruto used to clear his mind and only managed to keep a thought process while he was looking into the universe.

They'd stared at each other. There wasn't a shift or a breeze, or an adjustment under the colored eyes that blended into the asphalt. Naruto looked right back at him and didn't think to say anything. Sasuke made the first move by backing off the rail, and strolled right pass without a word. His shoulder brushed against Naruto's and since then his right arm burned like an irritating case of sunburn.

It still scalded like the dickens; no it actually tingled like prickles of ants marching up and down with spikes on their heads.

Naruto made a disgusted sound with his teeth as he reached under his short sleeve to scratch across the reddening surface. That strikes number five for today. He lifted his sleeve and scowled so hard at the offending color, his face could've cracked in two. The risen was pulsing, flaring as bright as a stoplight and begging Naruto to stop abusing it for more than two seconds.

This was something else he so badly wanted to blame on Sasuke, but once more he strained that urge behind gritting teeth and used that effort to sink his pearly whites into the bread and watched the crumbs fly all over. He chewed and thought, chewed and wondered, chewed and swallowed. Maybe it was just him being stupid but facts were facts.

Naruto was just frankly pissed off that Sasuke broke through his weak wall around hiding his attraction for him. He made it sound like he was all Naruto wanted and couldn't resist wanting a piece of him. Which was true but not so much as in a desperate need. It wasn't Sasuke's fault Naruto felt mildly uncomfortable for being caught with his crush, and having to conclude that Sasuke saw it as a hopeless bother, being that he had no other choice but to deal with it since he had nowhere else to go.

Naruto took a small bite of his toast this time and wound his molars at a slower pace.

_You should've known he'd react that way when you gave him the chance to throw it back at you. _

And Naruto _had _when he made it crystal clear he didn't have to answer to Sasuke's suspicions. Sasuke took that opportunity to make sure Naruto couldn't know of his past now. A very, very unfortunate plan that only worked for one party; Sasuke's because of him having the movie star kind of past that begged Naruto to be nosey about. Despite the rejection and the stomach clinging fact that Sasuke will definitely not return the attraction, Naruto still felt marginally attracted to him, even if he was going to stay pissed.

All the while Naruto pondered and sulked in his chair, never had he thought he was being studied from more than a meter away with citrus green eyes and an equally lemon squeezing smile. Kyuubi cleared his throat, bucking his shoulder off the hall frame. Naruto turned around impressively slow to give his intimidating glare an extra boost of heat. He was not in the mood.

Kyuubi held the look for a minute, looked over his shoulder with a patient expression, and then turned to Naruto with the crafty smile long gone. His eyes held this disturbing sense of pity that Naruto didn't appreciate. "What?" He said at last, but his tone didn't match the expression on his face. Kyuubi didn't move from where he stood, hands dug deep in an extra-large gray hoodie and red cargo slacks, half over his waist. Most of his shoulder length hair was tamely pulled into a low ponytail and draped over his shoulder, and around his long ears, except for the few misbehaving strands covering his right eyebrow.

The expression on his face was so strange Naruto quirked his eyebrows, wondering if he was about to speak or talk his piece over something serious.

Naruto figured out what he _hoped _that expression meant but he wasn't downgrading himself to do it and made sure to tell Kyuubi that in the coldest and calmest voice, "Listen, I know you're his friend and all, but don't come asking me to make up for something that's both our fault. Apologizing is a two way road we're both going to have to meet in the middle."

Kyuubi shuddered like hooked nails dragged over his spine. "I wouldn't dream of asking you to," he unrooted his clawed feet from the carpet and pulled a chair out, turned it around and straddled it in an awkwardly adjusting way that took him a few seconds to get used to because of his size. "Both of ya'll are some idiots though."

Naruto nodded. "I agree with you there. That fight was pretty much pointless. It didn't have to go as far as it did."

The fox tsk'ed his teeth, "Ya damn right about that," Kyuubi folded his arms over the bar, nesting his chin on top as he scrutinized Naruto like predator debating to risk taking that dash across the open field or staying where he knew the prey would come to him. "I don't get where all the tensions coming from—No, I'm lying let me rephrase that. I don't know where all of _your _tension's coming from."

"Well let's see," Naruto rocked back on the chair's two legs, clicking his teeth together. "I have school with a mile of homework each week, there's this job I have to go too about five to six days a week, a social life that isn't as thrilling but has it's perks from time to time and when I come home I have a couple of Man Animals to take care of." He shrugged after laying it all out on the table, but his shoulders didn't reach as high as they should. "I think that's my plausible excuse for stressing so much."

Kyuubi pointedly looked as unimpressed as his drooping eyebrows, "Right, _that's_ your reason for being so touchy around Sasuke." A rough grunt dismembered Naruto's list of woes like shredded paper. "Humans are so poor at lying I swear. Look man, don't kid a kidder. I'm a fox. We've been lying since we left our mama's wombs. Lemme just cut to the case. Why were you so hostile when Sasuke asked why you smelled like sex?"

Naruto's eyes dilated a deep royal blue. He knew Kyuubi noticed it from the way his eyes squinted to make sure. That was one disadvantage for having these blue eyes; they always revealed Naruto's emotions before he had a chance to verbally express them. "Would he want me asking him who he fucked as soon as he walked through the door? I was upset because it's none of his business who I'm with."

"But at the same time you'd be just as pissed if he told you to mind your own business right?"

Naruto opened and closed his mouth. The balance on his chair wobbled but he kept his feet steadily pushing back and forth.

Kyuubi exchanged a glance with a potted plant behind Naruto's head, than back to Naruto. "Sasuke's got his own way of showing his gratitude. He doesn't say thanks or ask for affection. So he does it in a way he thinks should be easier to interpret."

A huge blur of concentration fogged Naruto's face in a cloud of disbelief, "You're expecting me to believe he asked me if I had sex because he was _thanking_ me?" He jerkily nodded his head and oozed sarcasm. "Yeah, you're right that's strange."

"He did have to sniff you first," Kyuubi reminded him unaffectedly. "Otherwise how would he have known you'd hadn't been raped?"

"I . . ." Oh. Oh, ok. That sort of frustratingly made sense. Naruto dashed a hand over his eyes, mentally swiping away all sense of common sense instead of wondering if he should've known Sasuke was doing that. Again he couldn't blame himself for this one. Beast traits weren't his forte, how exactly was he supposed to know Sasuke was looking out for his welfare if the bloody bastard didn't say anything?

"Like I said," Kyuubi continued with the silence as his permission to finish. "You're both idiots."

Naruto looked at him, with a dick of evil up his ass. "Look, I'm not particularly caught up with Beast Concern 101. Why didn't he just tell me he was worried that I came in late? That could've saved us about ten minutes of wasted air."

"Because he doesn't do emotional confessions," Kyuubi patiently explained. "And I don't blame him. I'd rather we kept talking like it never happened. Apologizing's just stupid."

"But it's necessary," Naruto imputed.

"Obviously you weren't listening when I said he doesn't do overwhelming emotions but he has his own way of expressing them. Body language tends to speak in a way words cannot express, ya feel me?"

Naruto bobbed his head this time without the burden of stiff shoulder blades and dropped his chair back in place. Bowing his head, and elbows planted on the edge, Naruto pushed around the rest of the food on his plate with a dull finger. Maybe, maybe he was a little harsh to Sasuke for no reason. It was just off-putting to feel like he was being accused of doing wrong when he was within his rights.

Kyuubi glanced over his shoulder again. Naruto wondered why, but he looked back at him with the same look, he didn't bother asking. "Feel better now?"

"I guess," Naruto said small-like. "But who's at fault? Somebody's gotta break the ice and I don't really do all that _'I'm sorry'_ shit either."

"You don't have too. Just fall back into routine. That's what I'd do anyway," He didn't say that was how Sasuke preferred it when they would get into a scrap. Apologies just acted as a bridge to mend the tore connection, but the memory would be still there. They took longer to understand and weren't solidified. Kyuubi saw it better to just work together in silent comfort and build it back until the bridge was just as good as before. At least that way the two didn't have to have that memory hovering over.

"I don't think he's willing to talk to me though; he barely talked to me in the first place."

"He doesn't talk."

"He doesn't do anything except sulk, eat, shit and stay pissed."

Kyuubi barked a short laugh and waved his hand in the air, "Silence is the best thing to share when with someone you can't stand. You gotta give him a reason to talk. Appeal to his inner nature or some shit."

"How?"

"He's a cat," Kyuubi stated matter-of-factly. "No different from the kind you humans buy to play with."

Naruto scooted in, more interested than before. He got this feeling of success in his stomach the way he had in high school when he asked Kiba to help him attract their star soccer player. "Do you think he's over our argument? What if he's still pissed off?" The bastard was sulking every drop of ice out of the artic.

A door opened in the hallway. Kyuubi looked over his shoulder the same time his ears flared up and out. Kyuubi's face came back with a smile deepening his dimples, darkening his eyes and mischievously seductive, "Stand up," he ordered, standing up already.

"Wait why?" Kyuubi pulled Naruto up out of the chair, in a single blur of movement. Then Kyuubi was pressed into him, looming his heated presence over Naruto like a pot of steaming rice. He looped his arm around Naruto's neck and hugged him close, just gently rubbing his knee up the crotch area. Every breathing pore in Naruto's body flushed a disgusting shade of red wine and doubled in intensity when Kyuubi curved his claws under his chin and pressed his lips against his ear. His baritone voice melted Naruto's insides like liquid gold.

"Relax."

"Kyuubi," Naruto was so shamed for thinking nothing but perverted thoughts for the guy he wanted strictly as a friend. "What are you doing?"

"Shh, just play along."

Too many lecherous volts were surfing Naruto's nerves. His fingers trailed over the edge of the jugular, and Naruto bit hard on the bottom of his lip.

"Look to the right, but don't make it obvious," Kyuubi murmured, nuzzling his nose against Naruto's side burns.

Naruto heard the command somewhere in the lusty forest and did as asked.

Sasuke came down the hall, shirtless, and only in a pair of navy blue jersey shorts, and what looked like some red boxer briefs peeking around the rim. When he turned to the left, his expression registered several brand new faces before they settled on the last one . . . Oh lord.

Naruto pushed Kyuubi away, looking up at his casual grin. Naruto glanced at Sasuke, but he wasn't looking at him. He was directing every steel melting flame at Kyuubi's profile. That look described First Degree Murder with premeditated decisions on how and when it'd be committed. Naruto was afraid if he stepped in he'd be incinerated into a pile cider.

As if to echo his thoughts, Sasuke snapped that look to Naruto for the briefest and longest second of Naruto's life before he turned back from which he came and slammed the door. Naruto ran his hand across his crotch to check for piss.

Kyuubi in the meantime was howling his ass off with laughter. "I think he's over it now."

Naruto didn't hear him. He was too busy thinking he'd lost his mind to let Kyuubi do what he'd just did or if he should thrilled at how Sasuke reacted. Cur to his inner nature. . . Yeah, yeah ok. Naruto thinks he has some idea of how to do just that.

* * *

The minute Kiba arrived home from school, he immediately scolded himself for hesitating to go into his own home. It had nothing to do with being scared out of his mind of seeing the beasts. Shoot, he'd gotten used to seeing them enough for it to be second nature. What he hadn't gotten used to in the past three weeks, is Kyuubi's bratty ass unpredictability.

Kiba groaned, prepared for whatever might jump out and attack him or catching Kyuubi in the act of messing with his stuff again. No matter how many times he chided the stupid fool, he kept at it like Kiba word's meant nothing. Kiba grinded his teeth to powder as he pushed the front door open and walked inside.

It was quiet, maybe too quiet . . . Nah, fuck that, it was real quiet. "Naruto!" He'd make some noise if he has too to scare that fox out of hiding. Kiba swiveled around as soon as the door closed behind him. There wasn't a sign of the guy anywhere.

Kiba eased off his one strap back pack, and toed off his Timberland boots. The day was in the middle of the afternoon. Naruto must be in here somewhere.

Kiba froze dead in his tracks when he found the Fox Beast flopped all over their couch like a wrangled dishrag, wearing an oversized red tee, and a pair of black silk pajamas riding up high on his ankles—suspiciously looking similar to Kiba's set—and the polyester was weeping depression at keeping those jumbo thighs snug. "Bastard," he growled deep enough to scare a pit bull.

Kyuubi turned over on his back, bushy tail twitching and snored.

Everything about this dude was just a big bag of fucked up . . . and that was Kiba's favorite CD laying on his chest too.

If he wasn't as straight as the bean pole, Kiba would've been a fool not to say how good Kyuubi looked draped wide open and that impressive mound sitting between his spread legs. Each muscle on his body was its own master, flexing and twitching, never wanting to behave. Then there was that god blessed red hair, spilling over the edge like tentacles into a wine glass.

Regardless of how he looked . . . that didn't give him an excuse to take Kiba's shit without permission. He tip toed in wide stepped strides, stopping when a creak promised to give him away. The fox's nose wriggled but other than that he didn't move.

Kiba made it there, and surveyed around, looking for the easiest way to poke the disc from under Kyuubi's paw. He had to lean down to get it. Each thick digit was wrapped tight around the plastic case. Ok, no sweat. Kiba grabbed the corner and oh so gently tugged it down. Kyuubi didn't stir. Kiba pulled it again and waited, doing a small move between intervals of watching Kyuubi's face and chancing another centimeter.

It was half way free, just a little more. Almost there, just a bit more. Kiba got it to the side corner—

Kyuubi snorted and down came his massive arm, trapping half of Kiba's torso and left arm against his chest. "Nooooo," Kiba whimpered into Kyuubi's armpit. This was not happening.

He steeled him perfectly frozen, too scared shitless to do anything else, even breathe. Pinned down against all this land of bulky flesh, and hot as broiled lava.

Kyuubi gave a throaty groan in his sleep and turned into the couch, taking Kiba's body with him. _'No, No, shit, no,_' Kiba spiritually prayed. '_He cannot find me like this.'_

Kiba glanced around nervously for any ideas to get him free. There was none. He did the sensible thing and tried to uncork himself from under Kyuubi's vise iron grasp. He shifted down and got both knees on the carpet.

Kyuubi's hand glided down with him and landed smack on Kiba's ass.

Kiba gasped all sorts of panic, burying his face into Kyuubi's cotton tee. He tried to sit back but the hand on his cheek turned into jaws and bit down hard. Kiba dropped his head on Kyuubi's stomach and inhaled deeply, exhaling it in two pants. The key here is to be calm, cool, collected. Don't give into this bad ju ju because it was bound to come back at you.

All he had to do was sit still and wait or coax—which sounded like a better idea— Kyuubi into moving in a different position. Kiba was getting dizzy. Kyuubi's scent was singeing every hair on his body. He reared back, flattening his palms on the fox's stomach, but that only made things worse.

Kyuubi's fingers had somehow wormed into the rim of Kiba's jump pants. "Ahh, you _motherfucka',_" he gritted sourly from his tongue. In the midst of that siren attack, Kiba's hand swiped over Kyuubi's crotch and the lick of red hell poured into Kiba's ears.

The fox groaned in his sleep. His eyes flickered.

Kiba died inside.

He was up with the disc in his hands and out of there faster than flash on crack.

Glitter green laughed after him and the memory texture of supple ass cheeks never having felt so damn good.

* * *

Naruto waited for the opportune moment he'd put his plan into action. It was a trick his parents used on him when he tried to act like he was mad and promised never to speak to them again. It was genius plot and if he played his cards right, maybe Sasuke would be tempted to talk. Kyuubi had offered him one more piece of advice into setting this just right and the rest was up to Naruto to do.

He'd gone into the kitchen for a new deck of cards and a small bronze bell. Naruto saw Sasuke sitting in the living room by the window, gazing out at the clear blue sky and at the strolling beach planes, advertising about sea shack eateries and the best surf board markets to attend. Sasuke heard Naruto walk in. The Cat Beast bunched up and buried his nose further on the side of the couch at once, though a moment before, he'd been looking out the window with a tense, inconsolable expression.

Naruto vigilantly calculated the room he'd need to do his project. The large double panel window provided enough lighting, there was a waist high book shelf then a corner by the flat screen television. He settled for the space between the love seat and low table where the sun shun a spotlight beam in front of the telly. He sat Indian style on the floor and shuffled the deck of cards.

Sasuke looked over. Naruto caught it out the corner of his eye and ignored him, fixated solely on stacking an even five round line of cards, each with three. He scooted back and started tee-peeing two cards on top of each round. He made it to the third round and sighed satisfied.

Blackness wormed across the couch. Sasuke's tail flickered the same time he looked over at Naruto.

Naruto concentrated hard as he moved to finish the first layer of tents and went to working on the next row.

"What are you supposed to be doing?" Sasuke finally grumbled at last, sounding annoyed. "It looks pointless."

Naruto didn't answer him and went about finishing up the second layer. He was proud of himself that time. He didn't think he'd make it up to the third and steadily begin working up the next train of mini towers. This was a tribal pattern and one to test patience—stack a round of five and construct a tower on top that takes dedication and skill—but he wasn't sure if Sasuke's ever played the game or if he'd want to figure out the complexity of it.

"I said what are you supposed to be doing?" Sasuke sat up on the couch, hanging his hands between his gapped legs and a peculiar frown on his face. "Playing a kids game?"

Naruto said nothing to him. The third level worked beautifully, but instead of continuing to the second, Naruto dropped back to the very bottom and started on a brand new level, working in an upward angle.

Sasuke's frown hardened. "That's not how the game works. You build the card layers starting from where you last finished."

So Sasuke has played this game before? Good, at least he was catching on to the idea of it. Still Naruto didn't reply and by the time he could steady the last card, his thumb tilted one and the entire tower toppled over to the floor. He laughed, snapping his fingers, "Darn, almost had it." He scooped up the cards and shuffled them again. The bell by his side was picked up and rung three sharp shrills.

Sasuke's ears visibly shook.

Naruto smiled to himself and started all over.

"Why did you ring the bell?" The couch huffed where Sasuke leaned forward. "What does that mean?

The doleful muttered almost made Naruto cave but he resolved himself with a powerful confidence and kept going as he had. His mother didn't stop until Naruto dejectedly came crawling over asking what she was doing. His dad didn't either. But Sasuke was stubborn. He'd probably stay where he was just to see if his questions could be answered by sight alone. That's fine, so was Naruto. If this idea didn't work, he could think of plenty more that'd get the job done.

On his second try, Naruto managed to make it up to the second level and a single side tower before it collapsed into itself. "Shoot," Naruto collected the pile again and reached down to shake the bell three times.

"Why do you keep stopping at the second and third levels, then starting on the side?" Sasuke had somehow gotten close enough  
to Naruto without making a sound across the carpet. His lips were next to his ear but his eyes were on the cards in Naruto's hands. "Wouldn't it make more sense to build the castle, than start the pole?"

Naruto looked indifferently and cool, as if he knew exactly what he was doing and that his idea was more logical. "It would," He consented. "But I want to challenge myself by building the castle half way, then doing the pole up to the same level. That way I'd be able to finish the two together."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and stepped over Naruto's head to sit on the other side, "That doesn't make sense, you idiot," He snatched the cards and shuffled fast. "Why not finish the castle first and make it sturdy. Then go fix the pole with extra support on the bottom. It won't stand up on its own going vertical."

Naruto crossed his arms and pouted a string of superiority in his tone, "I like my idea best. The more complicated the trick, the better it is when I succeed at doing something that no one else could do."

"You're still making it more difficult than it has to be," Sasuke tonelessly said. "Each time you got tight at the top, your fingers couldn't reach around. Why? Because you constrict the two cards too close together."

"And you can tell all that just from those couple of times?"

"Yeah," Sasuke squatted down to the hind of his legs and started building the six level card castle. "The key is to get order and stability. You're just trying to hurry up and get it over with."

Naruto snorted, and laid down his stomach to what the show. Sasuke was patient, very good at this game. He'd be careful and wait until he noticed a tremble in the cards and frowned at it the cards as if they'd know he was angry, and they didn't stir. He made it to the second level and sat there stiff as a block of ice, studying and murmuring to himself the next trick.

Naruto made kissing sounds with his lips, bouncing his eyebrows when Sasuke darkly dared him to blow down his hard work. Sasuke chewed his bottom lip between his fangs, tail wagging fiercely behind his back.

The last pair of cards was placed on the top.

"YEAH, YA DID IT!" Naruto cheered all the way to his feet and the breeze of his body, knocked the entire fortress down in a scattering wreck. Sasuke tried to kill him with his eyes and went back to work on the papery experiment, wishing he could scratch that cheesy smile off Naruto's face. The bell was chimed three times and each time, Naruto saw how Sasuke's tail wagged.

He was glad he remembered how much cats loved bells.

* * *

The night was humid, slightly fogged given the lateness. Stars dotted and winked where a gap in the cumulus allowed. Naruto picked every sound of entertainment, music and hooping yells coming from the night bars and beaches. It was pleasant tonight. He could get used to this as well as the company. Dropping his head in the crook of his folded arms, Naruto grinned out of the blue, feeling better than ever. "So," he tilted his head to the side. "We're good?"

Sasuke looked as if the answer should've been obvious, but he humored the question with a shrug, switching his toothpick to the other side of his mouth. Naruto was free to take it how he wanted.

He took it as the truce he was glad they'd wedged between them and the warm feeling resurfaced in his stomach like the fresh wash of green tea.

Sasuke turned around, tipping his elbows on the metal support and dipped his head back to stare up, "You're an odd human."

Naruto winked at him, "I've been called worst."

"I'm sure," The toothpick in his mouth shot off on the ground. Sasuke laid his face over and gave Naruto a perplexing look. "Not many would go out of their way to help a beast. We're not native to this island."

"I kind of noticed that when you clawed my chest in half," Laughter.

Sasuke didn't find it as funny. With enormous effort on his end, he had to disguise his regret by closing off the dark shade of his eyes and looking to the side. His silence was just as forth going about how he felt than any verbal lead.

"Hey," Naruto bumped his shoulder, smiling apologetically. "It's fine. You didn't cut me that deep." He tried for subtly but as always failed epically. "I mean, you _didn't mean_ to do it." He scratched behind his head, searching for the best words to go with this without coming off as a complete idiot. "I should've thought about how you'd react and not pushed so hard—"

Naruto had barely finished when Sasuke pierced him to the pit of his stomach with that soul searching glare. The blond ignored the quickening of his own breath and moistened his lips. He braced himself when Sasuke was off the rail and in front of him, hands gripping the bars on either side of Naruto's waist. He wasn't going to panic, he wasn't going to freak out and have some kind of spasm.

Then Sasuke stuck his face in Naruto's.

He took in a deep breath, told himself this wasn't as hard as his body was making it out to be, and released the stored breath in a loose, tense wave. He sucked in again when Sasuke hooked his claw in the opening of his shirt and tugged down where a fading pink streak peered out. Sasuke stared at it with such focus; Naruto wondered if he saw something there that he didn't.

"I'm fine Sasuke, really," He breathlessly conveyed. "It was an accident."

Sasuke sniffed at a distance, and then stood straight. "I'm glad it healed," He took a step back and went inside the apartment. No explanation as what was done or what that look meant.

Naruto felt that same span of space around him combusting like a flare of fireworks. He hadn't noticed the imbalanced way he was breathing until he nearly suffocated. Taking first one, then two deep breathes; he relaxed all the mental tightness in his mind and fixed himself better. His stomach was fluttering like crazy.

He didn't know if right was up or down was left.

Sasuke . . . Shit, why was he able to affect him this way?


	8. Labeled Matter

**Author's Rant:** To those who've asked believe me when I say Sasuke's POV will be told eventually but this story is long. So no worries. Enjoy ^_^

* * *

**Labeled**

* * *

"Damn," Naruto cursed, not quite getting the same satisfaction that normally trailed behind the word. Blue eyes softly glared at each and every pebble and litter disappearing under the soles of his shoes for each step taken up to his apartment level. The stairs shrieked and rattled from his natural weigh as well as the two oversized shopping bags cradled under his armpits. He wished with all his being he could comprehend the thoughts pin ponging from one side of his mind to the other. None of them gave him peace, but they all succeeded in confusing the hell of him.

He just couldn't push last night from his head. That look; that singular glare, if it could be called that, didn't just look at him; it stabbed right through his soul. Sasuke almost seemed as if he were searching in Naruto's face for something—"Damn it," God it was so stupid to linger over something so stupid. Naruto hated the way he overanalyzed things.

But he couldn't help himself. He could still remember the way Sasuke had looked at him when they were on the balcony. The raw stare, the warmth flared up full blast in those dark eyes. The way he'd pressed up against him . . . Naruto squinted his eyes shut, wishing he wasn't so bothered by every interaction between him and Sasuke. If the Cat Beast so much as blinked at him, Naruto wondered if it meant something.

And while he walked on, shredding his thought process limb from limb, he could bet Sasuke wasn't going through the same problem. And why would he? They had no connection; no kind of relationship passed the strained one they were trying to tolerate. Despite the ice breaker yesterday, they weren't fully comfortable around one another.

Just this morning Naruto had wanted to knock on the guest bedroom, asking if Sasuke wanted to play the card game again. He couldn't even muster up the balls to utter a word or rap his knuckles against the door. Stepping back from the gateway to building friendship had been much easier than trying to create one. Kyuubi said to move into routine; to forget it all and act as if things were the same as they were.

Easier said than done.

Naruto tried that and it only opened up more routes to wondering what each gesture meant. When Naruto learned why Sasuke reacted the way he did the other night, he felt cautious, careful in deciphering all of Sasuke's moves in hopes that . . . well, that maybe he kind of, sort of gave a shit about Naruto. The simplest move could mean a list of emotions. Could any of them probably mean something for Naruto though?

That was the million dollar question and one Naruto doubted he'd figure out anytime soon. He unlocked the front door and walked inside. Kiba, wearing paint stained black sweat pants and a wrinkled graphic white tank with the words _Rebel Master_ across his chest, looked up from the dinner table. "Yo," he greeted, flicking his pencil up between his fingers. "You gotta work today? I might need your help with some homework."

"Nah, I'm off," Naruto returned, keeping his eyes averted to everything else. He didn't want Kiba seeing the shade of blue his eyes; most likely a pale robin egg. Kiba had a chart line of blues that could distinguish Naruto's moods and disturbing as it sounded, they were surprisingly accurate. "Gimme a few to give them their clothes, and I'll come over to help," Naruto managed the last couple of words out before Kiba's voice overpowered him as well as the windows in the apartment.

"Who's clothes?" Kiba's tone was laden with disapproval. "You giving these fools clothes too? Well goddamn." Kiba scanned his homework, and then his head snapped like a rubber band when he noticed something. "Lemme see your face."

Naruto paused where he was dropping the bags on the couch, his stiff back giving away his composed lie.

"Naruto, look at me."

Naruto heard the chair's legs thumbing over the carpet and the thud of a pen flopping over the edge of the table. Kiba didn't bother disguising his approach. He wanted Naruto to know he was coming.

"I don't ask three times kid, you really trying me."

"Lay off Kiba," Naruto couldn't hold back the twirl of tightness in his throat. "They've been here for over a month. You ask the same thing whenever I come home with something new for them. Don't act ignorant out of spite cause its getting on my nerves."

Kiba flipped his hand in dismissing wave, "That's fine, cool, I don't care. Now, lemme see your face." He wasn't going to argue. Naruto knew from how Kiba was looming over him from behind. The jerk was stubborn as a jackass, twice as bullheaded and just as strong.

Naruto relented, taking his time to glance over his shoulder, offering a lone blue eye for Kiba's inspection. "Satisfied?"

Kiba stared hard, and stepped forward, "What's got you upset?" He asked without the former authority.

"Nothing, I'm just tired," Naruto had the lie ready on the tip of his tongue. "Work, school, home and other things; I'm probably just sleepy." Naruto lightly teased the hem of his red tee shirt and rocked from heel to the other, at last looking away to the floor.

Kiba sucked his tongue. Naruto knew he was caught when the word, "Liar," came raining around his ears like the warm, calloused finger tips massaging his neck. "Stressed maybe, but I doubt it's got anything to do with school and work. You've been doing fine with this load for a year." It took two tries for Kiba to press Naruto into the couch and sat beside him, none too gently shoving the plastic bags on the floor. "Now, tell me what's got you in a funk."

The playful and concerned toned played at Naruto's conscious like a violin. Naruto hated when Kiba used that to get what he wanted from him. It's been the same since they were kids. As grown men, the effects hadn't weaned a bit. "I'm just. . . I think. . ." How could he word it without coming off as desperate? Wait desperate no, more like sympathetic to his own situation. Naruto wished it wasn't as complicated as he was making it out to be. "I don't know what's wrong." He confessed further messing up his wild yellow fringe. He summed it up in two words, "I'm confused."

Kiba urged him on with just one, "About?"

"Crazy shit, things that ain't making any sense to me," Naruto clucked his tongue behind his teeth, shaking his head lower. "I'm trying to figure out if I'm overreacting to something or if I really need to give this some thought."

Kiba knew he was beating around the bush. It wouldn't be the first time Naruto reversed the psychology, giving certain details without adding in the main subject. It'd take time before Naruto admitted to whatever was causing his woes. So Kiba had to play at this game delicately, "Is it you or somebody else?"

". . . somebody else."

"Oh . . . you like him?"

Hesitation, an open mouth pause, then a dry lick of his lips later, Naruto managed to nod twice, though his neck was so tense he hadn't been sure he would be able to move his head. "I think so."

Kiba let the silence hang over longer to give Naruto some space before he pounced on his next theory, "Is it Sasuke?"

This mode of confirmation took longer to clarify. Naruto visibly sunk into the couch and made to forcibly avoid meeting Kiba's eyes. He chose one of the vine plants stationed by the balcony window as a perch while he spoke, "Yeah." He swallowed. "I dunno what's going on between us."

Kiba failed to keep the grin out of his voice, "You really like him then." His grin grew when the tips of Naruto's ears blossomed like afresh sunburn.

"I do not," Naruto childishly returned, face burning something serious. "I just . . . fuck I don't know. I know I like him, but I don't know what he wants."

"Wordddddd?"

Naruto shot him an icy glare.

"Whoa, you got it bad huh?"

"Shut up," Naruto quickly turned, only adding fire to the flame when his colored cheeks highlighted brighter than a cherry tomato. "I ain't say I like him like I wanna fuck or something. I'm just, ya know, I mean, God— Kiba, just _shut up."_

"Dude, that bad? Wow, he's getting you this worked up?" Kiba snickers were border line hysterical before he took a lockdown and buckled back. This was embarrassing enough as it was sure. He couldn't tease Naruto too much about it but damn if this wasn't the funniest thing he'd seen. Naruto gushing and fumbling over himself about a crush; not Mr. Casanova.

"You're not freaked out?"

Kiba shrugged, "No, why should I be?"

"Because he's not exactly human."

"Yeah well, from the way they've been freeloading around here, you can't tell the difference. Besides, I think the feeling's mutual."

Naruto's entire face perked up, "Really?"

"Yep, I saw him staring at your ass one time—"

Naruto looked close to collapsing from blood loss, his face was so red. One suspicious moment where he looked about to hit Kiba, the front door was knocked on three steady times. They shared a glance with each other than the door. "You expecting company?" Questioned Naruto.

"Nope," Kiba shrugged once, pushing on his knees to stand. "It's too early anyway. I wonder who it is."

Naruto stood too, stretching his arms over his head. All jokes aside, he was glad to get that little tidbit off his shoulders but wasn't feeling the interruption. He was close to laying out the floor plans of his and Sasuke's confusing situation when someone comes out of nowhere to spoil it.

Kiba looked through the peephole and bristled every pick of hair on his body as he recognized the distorted figure through the round glass. "Son of a bitch," He grumbled backing down on his heels. He turned to Naruto. "You invited this dick over?"

"Who?" Naruto stepped in front of him, checking the eyehole and stepped back with equal disdain. "Damn, he would choose now to come," he grumbled reaching for the padlock.

"Hold, slow ya roll," Kiba slapped his hand away, re-securing the lock vertically. He put in extra effort by slashing the gold chain across the holder and slamming his back flat on the door. "I don't want him coming in here."

Naruto signed impatiently, "He's not going to leave until he talks to me. He knows I'm home."

"So? Talk to his ass through the door."

"It ain't enough—move Kiba!"

"Fuck you, he's not coming in and you ain't talking to 'em." Kiba whirled around, positioning his lips loud and clear for the occupant on the other side, "The party you're trying to reach is no longer accepting assholes at this time. Please check your address and area code 'cause he won't get back to you anytime soon. Good bye!"

Three hard knocks pounded on the door.

"Kiba," Naruto drawled. "You're making shit worst then it needs to be. Just lemme talk to him and send him off."

"Talking to him ain't gonna cut it. He came here to fuck and—" Another series of wood chipping smacks hit the door like a bitch slap. Kiba looked at Naruto and growled at the eye change. He didn't even have to check a second time to know Naruto was uncomfortable. Kiba on the other hand, could give three kinds of damn. He didn't like this punk and he sure as hell wasn't letting him in.

The door suddenly vibrated against his palms. Kiba backed up stunned, "The fuck? Is he trying to break in? Into our place? On our turf? Hold up," Kiba slid on his heel, stomping straight for the hallway closet. "Trying to break in and shit—I got something for that ass." He grumbled, stumbling through the hall storage, pulling away jackets, school supplies, and finally emerging with a size ten orange Nike's shoe box.

Naruto panicked when Kiba stood loading his Desert Eagle .50 caliber, his bronze gaze beyond lethal, "Kiba wait, he's not trying to break in. Kiba no!" Kiba wasn't listening to him. He walked right pass—Naruto barricaded his body between Kiba and the door, angry and terrified. "Kiba come on, it's not that serious."

"When somebody tries to break in here uninvited, you don't think we need to be cautious? Na-huh, he's trying to make a statement—move Naruto!"

Naruto shifted in his way, grunting as the door was slammed again, "Kiba . . ." he looked desperate. The door rattled on its hinges with extra humph. "Kiba," Naruto ate the space up between him and Kiba in two long strides, palming his best friend's face. "Dude chill, I swear the same thing isn't going to happen again ok?"

Kiba looked down against his better judgment, melting away from those large bowl-round eyes. "Shit," he grunted, remaining still for long moments. He managed a half jerked nod before retreating back, averting his pissed attitude down to the floor. "You got five, ya hear? I swear I hear anything out of the ordinary, this whole block is gonna be covered in brass."

The door seemed to taunt his dare by bucking a centimeter off the frame. The doorway opened down the hall and out poured Kyuubi and Sasuke, ears stuck up and flared on the sides of their heads, claws erected, black and green dilated to penny slits and tails swooshing. "The fuck going on out here?!" Kyuubi bellowed.

Sasuke rounded him, looking to Naruto. He sniffed once, and narrowed his eyes, "What's going on?" He repeated quieter, but with as much steel embrace his vocal cords.

The humans looked to their roommates, both sporting a different kind of expression; a red burning anger and the other a slacked, deflating defeat, "Everything's fine guys." Naruto dropped his hands from Kiba's face. "I'll handle this."

The door banged, "_Naruto open the door_," The visitor shouted at last.

Kiba's trigger finger twitched. Kyuubi caught the move out the corner of his eye. He made a crouching gesture with his claws and Sasuke followed suit, both looking prepared to charge for the door, but not budging. Kyuubi reached out without taking his eyes from the door, gripping Kiba's wrist and tugging back. Kiba resist for all of a minute before relenting and standing off to the side.

Naruto smiled his thanks and rolled his neck from side to side, before reaching to unlock the door. He opened it just as Suigetsu lifted his fist to deliver a new cannon supply of bangs. His row of sharp teeth knitted tight into perfect alignment, smile sickly sweet. "Hey baby," The ash-haired guy smirked and leaned against the door frame. "No call, no text, no nada in a week? You ain't fucking around on me are you?"

Naruto's body blocked any view Suigetsu might have in the apartment but Kiba's dirty glare was as open for display as the art in a museum. "You got a problem back there, mutt?"

"Fuck you," Kiba sneered. "Don't be coming here unannounced like you got it made like that dude. That shit's likely to get your ass fired up."

"Still ain't got anything else to do besides cock block?"

"You're still breathing aren't you?" Kiba disgustingly shot back. His wrist was pulled again, he looked down to Kyuubi's warning green eyes. He opened and closed his mouth, thinking against revealing the beasts' position. Instead, Kiba snatched his hand free and propping down on the couch, gun by his side. "Funky fish ass motherfucker."

"_Anyway,_" Suigetsu tilted his head back to Naruto. "How have you been?"

"I've been busy," Naruto mumbled, running his hands in his blond hair.

"Doing what?"

"None of your business; and what's it to ya anyway? Our game ain't even being played like that. You got our rules confused."

Suigetsu bumped his shoulder, "Come on now, don't be like that babe. All the fucking we do, love's gotta be a play somewhere in there."

"We love to _fuck _each other Sui, there's a difference," Naruto corrected irritated, partly for Suigetsu causing this fuss just to get under Kiba's skin and partly because Sasuke was behind them hearing every blasted word. "Look I got business to take care of. Did you want anything?" He stretched out his palm on the door frame, a clear sign that Suigetsu wasn't allowed inside.

Suigetsu carelessly looked down the hall of the complex level, losing some of his casual swag, "I need to talk to you."

"About?"

Purple eyes dully looked at him this time, "Is there a problem?" He slowly asked. "What's got your panties in a knot? You never had an issue talking before?" Suigetsu licked his lips, hooding his eyes to the edge of his eyelashes, his voice a hissing pot of acid, "You got a dude up in there I need to know about?"

"Besides the one you know of who lives with me, anybody else is none of your business."

Suigetsu's next smile rivaled a great white, "Ah so it's like that? Nah it's cool. I get it," Naruto frowned, about to speak but was cut off. Every digit Suigetsu possessed in his right hand coiled around Naruto's upper arm and dragged him with speed out the door. "Lemme talk to you for a minute." The door closed with a protesting Naruto on the other side.

"Naruto!" Kiba cranked his gun. Kyuubi stood fast, holding Kiba back with one arm wound around his waist like an iron brace just as he caught a black dash from his eyes. Sasuke was on the move. Kyuubi didn't think twice before he chopped Kiba's wrist, numbing the weapon from his fingers and forcing Kiba to sit between his thighs. The kid didn't need to be near Sasuke when he was like this.

"Kyuubi lemme go, he's gonna hurt him. He's gonna hurt him!"

"Shut up," Kyuubi ordered. Kiba wrung himself over and over again in those tree truck arms to no avail. He had to sit there and wait, just as Kyuubi ordered. "Chill, Sasuke's got 'em."

"Then he needs to go out there now. Suigetsu might hurt Naruto again."

"Kiba," Kyuubi's lead clad voice melted into liquid iron as he pressed his moist lips into Kiba's ears. "Easy. We ain't gonna let anything happen to him ok?" Kyuubi wondered if Kiba was even aware of the way he pressed his back into his chest, seeking more supportive contact.

"Kyuubi," Kiba sagged fully then. "I don't want him hurt."

"Sasuke's got him," He reassured. Kyuubi curved his free arm around Kiba's waist, and gave his stomach a slow, possessive stroke. Kiba responded by leaning back, and groaned agitatedly. He knew it was offsetting being in this position. Consequences be damned, he'd think on what they meant later.

. . . . . .

Sasuke's face sharpened, his hands clenching pinpoint dents in his palms. He was on his feet and going to the door on impulse, on an instinct to attack. Sasuke pressed his back where the door hung slight jarred, waited and listened.

"_How the fuck you gonna come to my address acting a donkey?"_ That was Naruto. "_And let me go. I swear you grab me like that again, I'm fucking you up."_

"_So that's how it is Naruto? After all we've been through, you're in there fucking around with other guys?"_

A bored sigh, _"Damn, you don't listen do you? You got wax caked in there? I said whoever's in there ain't any of your business. I never said a word about fucking anybody."_ Sasuke heard Naruto shift against the wall. "_And we're not in a relationship Suigetsu. God, you knew what the deal was from the get go. Don't come here acting like you're my ole man and shit."_

The silence to follow lasted longer than Sasuke was comfortable with. His tail twirled and knotting itself with a mind of its own, begging him to move otherwise, it'd attack itself.

The one called Suigetsu started to talk again, "_I could be your ole man, if you'd let me."_ Some clothing brushed and rubbed. "_You know my dad and Hidan like you. Haku too, he can't get enough of seeing your pretty smile. We'd be good for each other. So why not make it more?"_

"_Cause I'm not looking to be in a relationship. I got school, and other priorities to focus on first,"_ Naruto softly explained. Sasuke relaxed despite himself but kept listening. _"Besides, it wouldn't be fair to you when . . . when I think I like somebody else."_

"_. . . Say what?"_

Sasuke pulled away from the door, breathing an enveloping tightness in his chest. He didn't know if he should've been as surprised as the human was at the confession. Naruto liked someone. Who? Sasuke unhooked his heels from the floor mat and started to leave.

He stopped when he heard a loud, sodden smack, "_Suigetsu . . . wait, I said wait_."

Sasuke's black ears folded back against his skull, then a thump make itself known over the sound of his breathing. He paused and sure enough another followed with the same distinct rhythm of skin connecting to bone. Sasuke's nose crunched on his face. _Blood_. It was Naruto's. Whatever happened, Naruto's blood was more pronounced. He walked out the door, thoughts stuck on determining his next mode of action, when he'd saw Naruto defiant expression made of cold metal, back plastered to the wall, Suigetsu aggressively holding him hostage around his throat.

Sasuke saw red.

* * *

Suigetsu drug Naruto halfway down the hall before the blond stapled his weight heavily into the carpet. "How the fuck you gonna come to my address acting a donkey_?" _Naruto's mind was corroding in every direction and most of them were dangerous. He snatched his arm free from Suigetsu's nail-digging grip, blue fueled into a white fire. "Let me go. I swear you grab me like that again, I'm fucking you up."

Suigetsu rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, squaring his jean clad legs as side as his shoulders, "So that's how it is Naruto? After all we've been through, you're in there fucking around with other guys?"

Naruto mocked him with his own eye roll, folding his hands across his chest, "Damn, you don't listen do you? You got wax caked in there? I said whoever's in there ain't any of your business. I never said a word about fucking anybody." He hated going through Suigetsu's crazy ass insecurities. Naruto found some purchase against the wall, keeping an understanding eye contact with his lover. "And we're not in a relationship Suigetsu. God, you knew what the deal was from the get go. Don't come here acting like you're my ole man and shit."

Suigetsu eyes fluttered rapidly, lips pursed thin. Naruto didn't get that look at all. Was he really as shocked as he was making out? He knew what their relationship was like from the beginning. Strictly sex and nothing more, Naruto wasn't going to feel the slightest guilt for something he didn't purposely cause.

"I could be your ole man, if you'd let me," Suigetsu gave a tiny smile, walking up until his chest pressed up on Naruto's, his chin rested on his forehead. Naruto gave him credit for keeping his hands to himself. "You know my dad and Hidan like you. Haku too, he can't get enough of seeing your pretty smile. We'd be good for each other. So why not make it more?"

"Cause I'm not looking to be in a relationship. I got school, and other priorities to focus on first," Naruto swallowed thickly, pulling back to look Suigetsu in the eyes. He wouldn't back down but he had to remember this was his decision. No one could make him do what he didn't want too. He was proud and surprised at himself when the words left his lips without permission. "Besides, it wouldn't be fair to you when . . . when I think I like somebody else."

Suigetsu froze, ". . . say what?"

Naruto stared at him for a moment, subtly wishing he'd gone about the admission a little differently. Now seeing the man as he was, he hadn't noticed or rather hadn't tried to notice Suigetsu probably falling hard for him. But that's just how life dealt its cards. Suigetsu's hand just wasn't going to win the gamble this time.

Naruto gasped when their mouths met, eyes wider than saucer discs. For a brief instant, Naruto was lost in the haze of his heated kiss. At least, he was before he heard the clang of a belt buckle resound loudly off the empty walls and something very hot and very demanding press into his thigh. Naruto went ridged. He opened his mouth to stop, but Suigetsu pushed out his tongue, and Naruto found himself gasping as the tongue stroked his cheeks, his teeth, and then retreated and licked at is entire mouth.

Naruto pulled away, "Suigetsu . . . wait, I said wait." Suigetsu grumbled out what sounded like a never and yanked Naruto's lips back to his, skimming teeth and gums with his tongue again. Naruto pushed at the hands hooking in his lips like daggers, felt the wood of paste of the wall velcroing against his shirt.

Panic flashed through the blond, setting off ever warning bell he had. The adrenaline pumped hot and thicker into his heart, setting him into action before he could stop himself. He struck out with open palms, striking Suigetsu with so much strength behind the force in the chest the other stumbled back into the opposite wall, skull singing all kinds of dizzy tunes.

Suigetsu acted on pure anguish. Naruto saw the man wasn't himself when he came flying back, fist drawn and colliding with the side of his jaw. He heard more than felt the colossal pound lunge his head in an eye blinding snap against the wall. Something thicker, warmer then saliva pooled in his mouth. He spat and choked on the sour build. Before Naruto could raise his head or collect his vision, Suigetsu knocked him roughly into the wall, pushing the rest of Naruto's wind from his lungs.

"Bas-_tard_," He struggled around the bile cooked word, gently grunting from his collar's coiling hold and Suigetsu shoving his body into Naruto's.

"You got me confused with a fool sweetheart," Suigetsu's voice was a wet sponge against Naruto's throat as he planted open mouth kisses. "Leave me? You think you're just gonna up and walk away? You don't play with people's hearts like that, baby. Retaliation's likely to bite you in the ass."

Naruto ducked his head to the side, gripping Suigetsu's wrists, "W-whose fault is that huh? You think hitting me is gonna change my mind? Dumb fuck, your mind ain't a mirror. How was I supposed to know you felt this way?"

Naruto's voice died away when he looked over Suigetsu's shoulder. His vision wasn't his most dependable sense but all that black that looked like pieces of the night, the wall of malice looming back there, he wasn't sure if what he was seeing was real. Speckled clearness fuzzed and unhardened the tall image through founds of vertigo. Naruto licked his bottom lip, tasting the blood.

Sasuke's darkened glazed eyes centered to the string of red.

Naruto paled. That look, "Suigetsu lemme go." He struggled, pulling and tugging to get himself free. Suigetsu slammed him into the wall. Naruto still didn't want the guy to die. As much as an asshole he was being right now, he refused to let him get killed. "Suigetsu," he strenuously hissed. "I'm warning you to let go."

"Or what huh? You ain't gonna do shit Naruto. You forgot who I fucking am. You think it's that easy to walk away from someone like me?" Suigetsu leaned in, his presence making Naruto slink back. "I know how we'll settle this. You _did forget_ who was I was didn't you? After a week, of course you wouldn't remember whose name it is that made you cum. I'll make you remember Sexy, I got ya right here."

The words were no sooner out his mouth than when Naruto saw Sasuke put his hand on Suigetsu's shoulder, yanking him right off and swing him around before the poor guy knew what was happening to him. The sudden lack of strong arms hosting Naruto up left him flopping uselessly to the ground on his knees; Naruto didn't have time to worry about his legs losing strength because of the echoing crack of Sasuke's fist against Suigetsu's face.

Naruto couldn't breathe from what he saw as his head leveled evenly with gravity. Sasuke had Suigetsu between his thighs raining blow after terrifying blow on his head, and Suigetsu trying to fight back in a drunken state of confusion and pain. _No. No, he's gonna kill him. He's gonna kill him. _Morals, reasons who knew what it was that propelled Naruto shakily to his feet but he was hurrying over to Suigetsu's side.

"Sasuke what are you doing? Stop, fucking stop you're gonna kill him!"

"Stay back," Sasuke growl was a mix between inhuman and close to sanity. "He hurt you."

Naruto shook his head violently tasseling his blond hair around his forehead, "No, no, I'm fine. Look at me I'm fine. Sasuke will you stop!" Naruto could see teeth dangling on the ends of bloodied chords in Suigetsu's mouth. It made him sick; Suigetsu's eyes were swelled as tight as ripened plumes. _Oh god. I can't let him do this. I can't._

"Sasuke," Somewhere in the clogged tunnel, Sasuke could hear the honeyed sweetness coaxing him to calm down. His skinny slitted pupils focused on blue, drowning him into submission. And yet Sasuke was lost in the fog, he wondered why the one he was protecting didn't want vengeance. Was he not in danger? Wasn't he being harmed?

"Sasuke please stop," Naruto couldn't stomach looking at the cause he knew was his fault. Suigetsu wasn't even recognizable; the blows Sasuke laid on him couldn't have been human powered. Naruto willed back the vomit teasing his throat and clamped down with all his weight on Sasuke's arm. "He ain't worth it. I'm fine. I swear I'm fine."

Sasuke blinked hearing and not understanding Naruto. He tilted his head and reached out to touch the blonde's face. Naruto tried his hardest not to flinch when the claws soaked in crimson destruction glided down his cheek and over his collarbone.

The spell was broke in the worst possible way.

Suigetsu groaned beneath Sasuke's prison. The terror started when Sasuke's eyes went slender as paper and he remembered his target. Sasuke yanked his arm along with Naruto and slung the deadweight off with little attempt. Naruto went flying into the wall again, adrenaline being the only reason he was able to keep his eyes open.

He was glad he had when Sasuke's claws crackled like shattered glass and reared back. "Sasuke no!"

Quicker than the eye could see, some movement happened in an instant before the sounds of it came to a sudden halt. In the mingle of red and black came a wild mash of combating claws and growls. Naruto didn't know where his eyes should follow as the blurs took form. He could hear what sounded like swords clinging, snarls and then there was silence.

Pure, tension bathed silence hovered in the air. Naruto looked in the same space for what felt like hours until he turned to the side and found who was responsible for the colorful streaks. Kyuubi was crouched on all fours, growling like a rabid dog. Sasuke had a sound revving inside his chest like the crank of a motorcycle. Their tails wagged high, ears were kicked in a knife sharp angle and the thin fur on their body stood on end.

"Back off Sasuke," Kyuubi voice's could've been confused with the clap of thunder, it rumbled the walls. "You can't kill humans. It's forbidden."

Sasuke leaned back on his heels and carefully rearranged his lips around his fangs, "He was trying to hurt him."

"You did him in Sasuke, just let it go; are you trying to get us fucked?" Kyuubi crawled forward. The Beasts circled and spoke through purring snarls. "Naruto's safe."

"No, he won't be safe until I kill him. I'm protecting him," Sasuke hissed. "He laid hands on what's mine. Minato belongs to me. "

Kyuubi closed his eyes tight, cutting Sasuke off harshly, "For the love of—Minato's fucking dead, Sasuke. Naruto's not him." Sasuke wasn't in his right mind. He wasn't himself. All instincts and impulse, Kyuubi couldn't talk to him when he was in this state. He couldn't reason with the animal before him. Sasuke was no different from an untamed lion, needing to be freed from his boxed cage.

Sasuke paced back and forth on his hands and heels, stalking for a way around Kyuubi to finish the job. Kyuubi's body was a wall of muscle. He cared for his partner like no other, but he wasn't going to let him do something he'd regret.

"Sasuke."

The beast's ears flipped up at the sound of intrusion in their battle. Kyuubi relaxed himself from striking Naruto where he was. That desire to kill was still planted in him like a badge of honor. "Go on Naruto," he released in one breath. "Go inside. I got him."

"No," Naruto pushed up against the wall, slanted but standing. "I wanna help . . . what's wrong with him?"

"He's not in his right mind Naruto, take your ass back inside," Kyuubi made the mistake of turning his head away. Sasuke took his only opportunity and lunged over his head for Suigetsu's immobile body. He reared his hand back.

"Sasuke!"

He looked up Naruto. Those blue eyes. Sasuke frowned and realized it like a strike of fire. Naruto. It was Naruto.

They're not the same blue eyes.

Kyuubi was on him in a hot minute, struggling and thrashing. He acted fast, taking Sasuke out with a swift right hook. Sasuke's head lollied to the side, in a heap with the rest of his loosened limbs.

What. . . what just happened? Naruto took a step forward, kind of afraid to touch or talk, but he wanted—_needed_ to know what happened.

And . . . who was Minato? Who was he to Sasuke? "Kyuubi."

"Stay back," Kyuubi barked short and dangerously. "I'm running on high. Ain't no telling where I'm going next. Just go inside alright? We'll be right behind you."

Naruto hesitated, then nodded and backed away, never tearing his eyes from Sasuke's profile. He wished, he wished there was something he could do. But Naruto knew when he was limited in doing anything. The only thing he could for now was get Suigetsu some help. Later maybe he'd learn something.

* * *

**TBC: Secrets will slowly be learned my dear babycakes. ^_^.**


	9. Thoughts

**Author's Rant:** Loves, one thing you should learn about me? My pet peeve is clichés, alright? I despise clichés, I hate them as much as I hate unsweet tea. Ain't squat gonna be cliché in here cool? Cool. Enjoy ^_^

* * *

**Thoughts**

* * *

_Sasuke remembered only what his mind wanted . . . what his memories wanted. The nights were always as cold as the metal in those cages . . . the days as hot as a devil's kiss. _

_On such particular evenings, the sky would be clear and dark; absolutely spectacular. The stars were a spread of time, so far and distant. Sasuke could've counted his entire and still he would never know how many there were. There tattered cotton curtains breezed through a window, brushing away the flickers of hair over his face like the swipe of a mother's palm. Light drizzles of rain would seep through the cracks of the ceiling, persuaded by the winds._

_It couldn't have been more perfect then it was now._

_Everything was perfect._

_As perfect as the small, tiny life that squirmed and buckled under his chin. _

_The little baby was helpless, he was warm and as soft a clover's belly. Moonlight envied his portrait, canvasing a stream of silver on his bed precisely where his palm rested. _

_There were no sheets on the mattress, no rails, no support; it lay dusted and worn on a wooden floor. Images of what were inside were blurred, uncared for. Sasuke combed his fingers through downy soft blond hair, his touch protective and oh so gentle. Soft puffs of slumber wheezed across his neck, little fists clutched at his bare chest for more warmth._

_Sasuke was nude as was the child on his chest. He preferred the special contact this way. He was able to feel, to smell, to sense every heartbeat, every breath, every sound. Just to make sure he was there and would always be there._

_But then things changed._

_Something was suddenly thick turned liquid beneath his fingers. Sasuke looked down, in a haunted daze, into his palm. It was hotter, slippery, something thicker and viscid then sweat, soaking the top of a yellow sheet. Sasuke sat back, shaking his hand away, splattering the red saturation. His breathe hitched when he squinted his eyes down. His nostrils flared. _

_There was blood, so much of it pooled and pouring from the bed like a valley of its own. In the middle was the body that leaked its river. Sasuke's heart sledged balls of fire in his chest. His mind wasn't registering, wasn't processing what he was seeing. He shook, his eyes wide and then narrowed with denial. _

_This wasn't real. It couldn't be. Bit by bit he pried the image into one and closed his eyes. A tiny lump was presented in front of him covered in a single flimsy layer. His right hand stretched over the protruding sheets—he tugged slowly, as his eyes ripped apart. It was a round face, cheeks loss of its rosy hue, skin as deadly pale as freshly fallen snow. _

_Sasuke swallowed as trembling hands skated across the clammy skin, the cushioned flesh, dry and tough. _

_Sasuke howled loud, a scream horribly dry. His chest bloomed with such pain, it couldn't have been far from being the worse ever in his life. He kicked away from the corpse into a corner, and buried his face away . . . a failure. . . a pathetic failure. _

_He'd failed. _

_He'd lost him._

* * *

Sasuke bullied himself awake, blinking rapidly, sweat coated over his pelt. His limbs shivered, ears trembling sag as his chest rose and fell into uneven repetitions. His banes clung to his brow in clumped gatherings over his eyes, and nose. He felt constricted, something heavy lain over his body. Sasuke flung his legs high, discarding whatever held him flat and defenseless only to discover it being a green and checked gray quilt.

Sasuke looked around the dark, customizing his eyes to the lack of light, identifying everything along the scan until he felt comfortable to settle his heaving winds. Both his long, lithe legs swung along the side of the bed, firmly planted and he dropped his face into his hands, sucking in and out. An ominous warning pinched and prickled a hot sensation in the back of his eyes, and he fought with all his might to keep it at bay.

It was over. It was over. He wasn't there anymore. He wasn't there.

He's dead . . . he's dead.

Sasuke sunk his ears into his hair, drowning out the words, _his own_ words as he chanted them over and over again to calm his nerves. "He's gone, he's gone. He's—he's gone." Sasuke blinked hard, squinted tight enough to fight the glossy glaze.

The pain was stunning, a slow creeping torch that punished his heart. He overlapped his hands over his mouth, and shook off the dread, taking deep heaves and letting go of the emotional strain. It did little to keep his body tamed. He needed air, open space; it was too tight, too cramped here. He needed to go.

"You'll keep blaming yourself no matter what, won't you?"

Sasuke blinked and turned around to the corner of the room. He focused through the fuzzy illusions, brow creased in wrinkles until he could make out eyes as green as spring grass. "Kyuubi," he sighed the name in a long drawl.

Kyuubi unfolded his arms, pushing off the wall as he slowly crept up to his partner, "You can't go on doing this to yourself." He squatted to his heels, putting his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, and wrenched just enough to make the other look at him. It didn't get to the point of hurting him, though Kyuubi knew it'd take much more than that. "Listen Man," He started calmly. "Eight years is a long time to marinate this shit inside. You punishing yourself for something you couldn't have had a say in no matter what you did."

For a long while, Sasuke stared into Kyuubi's eyes, regarding him close. Then he stared straight ahead, cracking his knuckles and bringing them closed against his lips. "It _has_ been eight years," he repeated deep in thought. "I—damn," He shook his head hard. "I can't believe it's been that long and nothing's changed." He loosened one of his hands, softly lowering it to the throb between his chest. "It still hurts. God, feels like my chest's been cut open."

"That's because you won't let it go."

Sasuke shot him an evil look, "That's easier for you, then me. I can't let him go as easily as you did yours. At least I wanna to keep his memory alive, instead of fucking his name over."

Kyuubi pursed his lips, and then hissed through gritted fangs, "That's a low blow Sasuke; our situations ain't nowhere near the same."

"Exactly," Sasuke turned away from him. "I can't expect you to how I feel with the shit I go through with this. It's never going to be the same no matter how long it's been."

_That's because you allow it to hurt this much. Selfless bastard just won't let it die away, too scared he'd forsake his name. _

Shaking his head in agitated wonder and knowing what was best for the both of them, Kyuubi pushed up from the floor, and looked down at Sasuke's ring of black hair, lying matted on his crown. He knew Sasuke was looking into a time that he wished was reversed, redone and completed as a rewritten page to a chapter. His face was shadowed, deepening further into a chained block no one could get into.

Kyuubi knew it was better for him to be like this, this recluse if it meant him being back to his normalcy. But when Sasuke had these episodes, it was easily contagious and rendered the same kind of bad thoughts into Kyuubi's head. Nothing in his past was squeaky clean, but he never pretended it was.

He just chose to forget. Sasuke refuses too.

Sasuke stared a moment longer, then softly murmured, "I'm going for a run." The invitation was made loud and clear. Kyuubi knew he wanted him to come along. "Get dressed." See?

"Where we going?"

"Don't know," And he didn't care. He just needed some air, some room to breathe. Sasuke pulled off the cotton boxers he'd worn to bed, searching through the plastic bags for clothes bought for him and Kyuubi to wear. He found a pair of acid washed black jeans, a plain white wife beater and a black long sleeved button up with embroiled stitches of a dark gray bird with silver strings woven in its feathers, wings spread from one side to the other. When buttoned the bird was merged as one. Sasuke chose to keep it undone all the way down. The jeans hung nimbly off his waist, his wife beater was tucked in and he looked around for the shoes Naruto bought for him. Some black Nike Air Low Forces, size twelve. A matching black snap back was pulled over his ears and kept over his left eye. He didn't bother covering his tail. He was going to be moving too fast for anyone to notice.

Kyuubi fished around inside his own share of clothes, "Whenever we jet, we need to let Naruto know we're heading out."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder, steadily gazing, "Why?"

"Cause he's worried about you and _will be_ worried if we just up and left without saying something," Kyuubi clicked his lips as if it were obvious. When Sasuke looked at him, he looked right back. "What? Just 'cause you're rude don't mean I don't appreciate his hospitality," he kept his smile hidden. "And you know you don't wanna upset him; more so than he is anyway."

Sasuke frowned, "Why is he upset?" He asked on impulse, not his brain. He bristled. "Did that guy come back here?"

"Nah," Kyuubi paused in the middle of pulling out some clothes, worrying his bottom lip between his fangs. His right ear flapped, and then the left crookedly drooped, "You uh, yeah ya kinda . . . man . . . yesterday ya called him Minato . . . and he ain't been straight since."

Oh.

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest, dipping his hat low. Kyuubi gave him a sidelong glance, watching Sasuke's posture and his tail shift uncomfortably, but the fool would deny ever revealing that much about himself. He controlled as much of his body language as best he could, when need be, but Kyuubi wasn't just anyone. He could read every little inch of Sasuke's signals and right now he was in the middle of trying to figure out how he'd fucked that up.

"Hn," Sasuke said at last. "He'll get over it. Things happen. I wasn't in my right mind."

"Surrrrre," Kyuubi held up a pair of boxers and nodded his approval. "I mean hell, who gives a damn when they're called by someone else's name right? I'd be just fine too, knowing full and damn well I don't know who they are. Brother, father, friend, fuck buddy?" He shrugged.

They didn't talk thereafter while Kyuubi got himself dressed. He pulled a white tee over his head, followed by a wide plaid polo shirt, just the right size over the span of his chest. Color scheme was much brighter than Sasuke's; pale yellow and navy blue. His pants were khaki cargos, extra baggy and loose to move in. With his tail being as long and furred, he had to keep it buried in one of his pants legs and stretch wide so he wouldn't pinch it. He capped a blue fitted over his ears and pulled on some white shoes. Getting all his hair under controlled was a hassle, so he just shook it all forward and piled it under his hat, over his ears.

"Ready," He asked after buttoning up his three buttons.

"Yeah," Sasuke lead the way to the door, hand hovering over the knob. Then he stopped a second, when his nostrils flared. Butter and syrup. Naruto was outside the door. He frowned. How long has he been out there? He shook his head and gripped the handle, turning and pulling back. As predicted Naruto was standing there, hand raised as if he were about to knock. He looked like he'd just gotten out of bed, wearing only a bright blue tee and some cotton black pajamas.

Naruto jumped back, head dropped to the floor, ears stained with blood.

Sasuke cocked his head to the side. He lifted an eyebrow, shifting from one foot to the other. "You want something?"

"Um, no," Naruto cleared his throat of the sleepiness and looked up, eyes blinking in surprise. Sasuke guessed he'd just noticed their clothes. "Are you . . . you're leaving." His voice croaked against his will, and inwardly he wished it wasn't so rough.

"Yeah," Sasuke's stare was stomach cringing.

There was no light in the apartment at all. It was well into the night, and similarly quiet outside. Naruto didn't need the glow to know how intense Sasuke's eyes were on him. He kept flinching, flexing his fingers by his sides to keep from stepping away. The instinct to fear was there but he didn't cave into it. Those claws still freaked him out. Naruto looked up at him, sides of his blond spikes brushing Sasuke's chin. "Are you coming back?" He tried, he really did to keep the tight grip out of his voice as he continued on. "If not, then just lemme pack ya something to eat. It gets crazy cold out there at night and . . . ain't no telling how long you'll be on the road." Naruto looked to the side of the hall. He looked anywhere but in Sasuke's face. If he was leaving, and he had ever right too, Naruto wanted to just do it and be gone. Maybe the faster it happened, the easier it'd be. . .

_Be_ for what?

Suddenly a sharp pop bopped Naruto's forehead and a-none-too-nice shove to the side, "Idiot," Sasuke grunted as he walked down the hall, hands in his pockets. "Where the hell am I gonna go, being what I am? We gotta come back."

Naruto rubbed at his forehead, but his grin, which he was grateful for the dark for, probably would've blinded a power company. He mingled a chuckle around his satisfied sigh. As much as he'd prepared himself for Sasuke saying yes and just accept that things wouldn't go further, he was gladder that it came to him saying he'd come back. There was still a lot he wanted to know about the guy.

"Aww sooky, sooky now. Look at you," Kyuubi purred into Naruto's ear, gratified pink at the slight shiver. "If you were a Dog Beast, that dick of yours would be showin'." Then he sauntered around the gapped mouth human, easily dodging a swinging fist to the head.

"Don't even go there," Naruto sassily snorted. "I was just making sure just in case I hear news about some long eared freaks."

"Huh uh, sure sweetheart I've heard that one." Kyuubi tossed the two finger peace over his shoulder and followed out after his friend. Only when he got to the door way, he paused, palming the outer frame, "Where's ya dick head buddy at? I ain't heard from him all day."

"Sleeping. He worked a double and just got in about an hour ago. They had Midnight Madness at the skating rink," Naruto couldn't keep the nosey interest in his tone. "You wanna give him a kiss g'night?"

Kyuubi blinked his eyes like the flash between scenes. Then he said, smoothly, "Pfft, I don't roll that way, Kid. My britches come down for _pussy_ and nothing more. Ha," He snipped his laugh out the door into the hall with a dying grumble, "Me fucking a dude with _this dick_, man _pu-lease_."

Denial was such an ugly little monster, Naruto thought gleefully.

But then it dulled.

Oh yeah, like he was one to talk.

* * *

"I don't care. You should've thought of that before you came over bitching about stupid shit."

On a Friday when he had to work the late shift, Naruto was normally sleeping in. Not this time.

"You really want me to believe that excuse? Try a new one. . . Oh come on, if you're gonna lie at least come up with a better one . . . all I've ever done is lay around with you and—" Naruto looked at the phone like it sprouted feet. "I acted the way I did because you embarrassed me, ya jackass. You don't just come to someone's house saying that shit aloud. I had guests. He was in his rights to kick your ass. Kiba was going to come out and waste your sorry carcass all over town. . . No, I don't need another man to fight for me. I kicked your ass plenty of times before. You caught me off guard that time."

Naruto rolled over on his stomach, closing his eyes and praying for patience. Dealing with Suigetsu's whining was ridiculous, as was having to deal with being around him. Naruto guessed that sleeping with him was probably just losing its fire. It wasn't as fun as it used to be. "Kiba had his gun because he knew you'd hit me again. And me, being the dumbass I am, didn't listen to him—Whoa, no way am I blaming myself for this one. . . You know what, cool, say whatever you want, but I ain't gonna sit here listening to you grumblin'." Like he could understand a man with only ten teeth anyway? Naruto hung up the phone and relaxed back to what he'd been doing before the phone call.

Relaxing and thinking and worrying.

Naruto had many thoughts overlapping his mind one after the other, while he searched around the plaster ceiling for odd patterns and strange shapes he could only see in his imagination. He'd thought that when they said they'd be back, it'd be within the same day.

It's been a full three.

Already he could tell the dramatic difference with them here and not. The entire apartment became more stifling, stiffer with the added uniqueness that only came from them. What tiny things they did do was largely amiss.

Had they left? Were they hurt? Had something happened? Fuck, he knew he should've given them his cell or probably bought them a pay-as-you-go phone from the Sea Market. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Naruto shook his head and sat up. Now he knew he'd really lost his mind if he was tripping this bad. He never in his life worried over anyone this much before, and yeah maybe it was probably for selfish reasons. He didn't want anyone to have found them and kept Sasuke to themselves. On top of that, he still had much to learn.

For starters, and this one has been eating at him the most since the other day. Who is Minato? What or what is he or she to Sasuke? Naruto could almost say he'd been in a boggle when he heard Sasuke say that person's name instead of his. And it was _how _he said it that had Naruto bookended between curiosity and the smallest, tiniest twinge of envy. He . . . well, sure, he did like Sasuke. Naruto was nervous around him a little and he had no idea about his past and the added fact he was some kind of mutant but around all that, he'd be the idiot Sasuke called him if he doubted the attraction.

_Knock. Knock. _

"I'm good," Naruto signaled for the door to open.

Kiba pressed on the door, breaking off a jaw cracking yawn, "Hey," Brown eyes traced around the room like entering for the first time. Kiba scratched under his t-shirt, smacking his tart tasted tongue and dropped down on the corner of Naruto's bed. "You preforming tonight for the Melon Genesis tonight?"

Naruto gave him one blue eye from the pillow, "Only if you coming too. Zabuza says he'll let me off early but I ain't getting up on stage by myself. I jacked up the dance last time and ain't no telling what song he'll pick tonight."

Another yawn, "Yeah, I'll go. I'm off the whole weekend. I finished my homework. Nothing to do except lay around anyway." Kiba folded his legs Indian style, leaning his head far enough until it gave the crack he needed to relax. "Who's all gonna be on stage besides us?"

"Probably TenTen since Temari's knocked up. I'm gonna call Hinata later to see if she's willing to preform too."

"Tsk that's _if _Neji lets her. You know how he gets about his baby sister wearing those kind of clothes. He damn near bust a vessel with the outfit she wore last year."

Naruto chuckled, remembering how their friend had an absolute fit when Hinata came from behind the curtains where a pink bombshell bra, a green hula skirt and some ankle bracelets. Ah, yes those were the good days.

"So where are the Pussy Beasts? It's been quiet around here lately."

Naruto gave a short shrug and a snort, "Sasuke said they'd be back." He pointed out the only fact he knew in exasperation.

Kiba bit his tongue to keep his thoughts to himself. Every time he got the idea to ask his next question, he knew it'd come off giving the wrong vibe. When he got better control over his voice, he rolled back on the bed, half covering his face in the comforter. "They'll be back. If the police don't arrest 'em, the news don't report 'em, or crazy ass breeders don't catch 'em, they'll be fine. Kyuubi can't live without your cooking." He added for humor.

It worked. Naruto muffled a chuckle and a nod, "Yeah, I guess." He winched a little, wondering if what he was about to say next was worth the possible ass whooping behind it. "You miss him don't you?"

"Who?"

"Kyuubi."

Silence. The hesitation wasn't working in Kiba's favor. "Fuck you Naruto."

"No, I think you wanna do that with him."

Kiba heard enough. He pounded the bed hard enough to fluff the comforter in place. Naruto didn't care to be worried and showed a grin whiter then clouds. His mouth open and shut several times, unsuccessful to retort. Kiba leapt from the bed and turned around so fast his tattoos smeared a blur. "You know what, you're—You don't even. Ugh, fuck it. I ain't gay Naruto. You can handle taking it up the ass, but that ain't something I can forget. A guy will always remember that moment when he felt the shit going backwards and. . ." God help him he wasn't making a lick of sense. "I don't like him alright? Shit!" Kiba stormed out the room, slamming the door hard enough to rattle wall pictures and Naruto's night lamp.

And was it just him or did he see Kiba blushing?

Naruto smiled.

Well at least that means he's not the only one juggling mixed emotions. That in a way made it easier to think how his feelings for Sasuke.

Now he was even more curious about learning what lied behind those black eyes.

* * *

Silence was the key element, coupled against the confident strides of footsteps catapulting from all directions, all aiming for the same place. The mud couldn't keep up to form a noticeable print before the step moved; tree branches snickered for a flashed second one after the other. The leaves rustled a wispy tune, lightly taping the sides of every sprinting devil. Swirls of murky moisture snatched at the clothes of these fine savages, bringing them in the residence of the shadows before ricocheting off the next landing.

Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he felt so alive; for his heart to race with a threatening thrill to rip from his rib cage. This island was large enough for him and Kyuubi to scout the forests and find a secluded piece of the land for simple hunting. Old instincts came roaring to life, every drop of blood in his body reacted in a way to guide him to his prey. His nostrils flared, he could smell the scent.

He knew Kyuubi caught the scent when the sound of footsteps disappeared into airless flight.

The smell of a doe was ahead, not big but healthy.

Coming to a thick wooded corner, the pair knelt down hands pressed to the coldly damped lumber and watched the grazing tranquility of their prey. Their incoherent growls buzzed loud and bold, carrying with them a language that said more then heard by naked hearing. Sasuke flicked his wrist; one index crooked and pointed up. Needing no words to understand, Kyuubi sneered quietly and took to the canopy. The round eyes were focused downward blissfully unaware of the glowing eyes behind her back. Sasuke crept up low and quiet, claws at the ready and pounced.

The doe jolted up in time to catch him coming her way and she dashed off. The path wasn't easy, she zig-zagged, pranced, and leapt in ways Sasuke could not, even while he was all fours. His back flexed and bowed, long wild tail rotating behind his back like a rudder. The plan was in motion; all he had to do was herd her in the right direction.

Kyuubi was out in a snap. He spread his arms wide and landed down hard, instantly breaking the doe's spine and dove his fangs down around her thigh. Sasuke hurried to lock his jaws around the throat and clamped down until the fleshy sounded in his ears. The doe buckled, she struggled, Kyuubi dug his claws into her side as did Sasuke.

The final jolts of life left her and a feeble cry later it was dead. The two waited several long minutes before settling back, feeling around for signs of a pulse. With none there, they rocked down to the ball of their heels and shared a daunting glare, that'd take some time to leave their eyes.

"We needed this," Kyuubi's deepened voice said, a register between a growl and human. "A good hunt always gets the blood pumpin'."

"That and the release," Sasuke gulped through a pound of oxygen, cleansing his baritone vocal cords to lessen the tone. "I can't remember the last time we could get off some energy."

". . . the last time was when we were on Coney Island," Kyuubi murmured more to himself then to the other. "Back there, all we did was release energy."

"Yeah," Sasuke said trying to ignore the way Kyuubi side glanced him. Back there all they'd done was release energy. There were only two way for beasts to do that and both were through forced contract. But damn, it felt so good to relieve himself in a way that fitted him best. "We should head back." He could smell himself going sour with musk, sweat and blood. The clothes Naruto had bought for them both were torn to ribbons, nothing but barely hanging pieces of cloth dangling off their limbs like cobwebs.

Kyuubi made a face Sasuke assumed was a struck of amusement of going back to their safe haven and a chance of getting a proper bath. "Fine with me, let's jet—Oh damn," He looked down at the dead deer, scratching his head. "What we gonna do with the meat? It'd be a waste to leave it here."

Sasuke pursed his lips, then said softly, "Bring it with us. We can skin it and eat it another time."

"Cool," Kyuubi bent his knees and looped an arm around the poor beast's neck, before he stood, tossing the carcass over his shoulder. "Lead the way."

And lead the way he did, a rush of sorts buzzing into his feet as he sprint off into the distance that lead to where they knew they'd be safe. Part of the way Sasuke thought about the way he felt a calm difference take over his mind at the thought of returning. Something propelled his feet to go faster—a small smile tilted the side of his lips before he could stop it.

Too late. Kyuubi saw, his shifty eyes shrilled amusement.

Sasuke caught his eye and shot the deadliest look in history, daring his partner to comment on it. Kyuubi stayed quiet the entire way back.

The door was locked.

Sasuke stepped back with a concentrated scowl on the immobile knob and tried turning it again. Nothing.

Kyuubi stepped around, shifting the lump of meat to his other shoulder. "They're probably out."

"Hn," Sasuke pricked a claw through his finger tip and leaned in to jiggling the locks loose until his foot crinkled on something stiff. He stepped back, noticing a crumbled sheet of paper. He reached down, picking it up and straightening out the edges. He sniffed it. Buttery syrup. Naruto wrote this he guessed and handed it to Kyuubi.

Kyuubi gave him an incredulous blink, "The fuck you want me to do with it?"

"Read it."

"I can't read that, stupid."

"You can do it better than me," Sasuke jerked it in his face.

Kyuubi rolled his eyes, not bothering to hide the sounds of them in the hall and snatched the note between his hands, unfolding and straightening it out. He squinted at the words, scratched at his hair and sighed. The words he did recognize were his and Sasuke's names. The rest weren't coming to him. "I can't read this," he repeated dully. "I mean, I can make out a couple of words—"

"Then say those," Sasuke urged with steady patience. He worked on undoing the lock while Kyuubi tried to figure out the letter's code.

"Sasuke and Kyuubi, b-be back la-a-tar. Had to wa-rack at Ta-k-kee Bar tonight. Key is u-u-un-dar mat." Kyuubi didn't feel an ounce of shame but he did look down under the floor mat for that key and by then Sasuke was already walking inside, ripping off the rest of his clothes.

"Where are they?" Sasuke asked.

"Some place called the Takee Bar or some shit, I dunno," Kyuubi shrugged, carefully lifting the deer meat over his shoulder, mindful of dripping blood. "Why?"

Takee Bar. Some place called the Takee Bar. Sasuke rolled the thought over in his mind. The whole point of hurrying back had been, and he would only confess this to himself, was to see those blue eyes. If perhaps to see Naruto greet them back in that same to wide smile he always gave whenever he saw them. Or whenever he saw Sasuke.

And he wasn't here to do it, Sasuke frowned at that. "We're going."

"Going where?" Kyuubi asked down the hall. "Where we going? We just got back."

"To that place," Sasuke discarded all his clothes on the floor and went into the bathroom.

Kyuubi grinned wide, quickly shoving the deer into the hall closet, getting rid of the rest of his clothes too. If they were going out, it was better they went out looking good. He was looking forward to that bath.

* * *

Minato.

Who was Minato? The name raked at his like acrylic nails. This name was the singular bomb exploding in his head at every turn. Who was this person, what was this person? Was he or she a friend? Relative? Naruto tried to think of every possibility and kept the ones who hoped weren't true in the back of his head.

Such as a lover, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife. Yeah, those would be just awful wouldn't they? But it would be just fine. Sasuke had a life before him didn't he? So if he didn't have a special someone back home. . . that would just suck.

Then Naruto had a much of other crazy thoughts juggling around in his head, weighing his thoughts on a balancing beam carefully while he got dressed in the back room. If Sasuke made it back, he hoped they found the message. Maybe he should've left a note somewhere else or put the key a more obvious place. God listen to him. Did any of that make any sense? If they read the note they'd know the key was under the mat right? And that was only _if_ they'd made it home.

He sighed. Get a grip; he scolded himself firmly in the vanity mirror as he snapped on the last ornament for his costume.

Naruto stepped back, inspecting each and every angle, observing the way he'd look in front of the crowd. Fresh sown green blades hugged his ankles, wrists and forehead in thin white bands, the grass sleeves painted in a variety of colors, brilliant and vivid. They had to wear tan spandex leggings from waist to ankle, but besides constricting Naruto's favorite parts, it made for easier movement. He tugged down on the branded black tattoos on his sinewy forearms, and flexed his chest muscles. They were shirtless, another perk and much needed reprieve from the humidity blanketing the island.

"Naruto!" Kiba stuck his head from behind a dressing room, all smiles. "Check it out man." He stepped out, turning in a circle.

Naruto looked at him through the mirror, nodding his approval.

Kiba must've just showered because the smell of Ax body wash was all over the room. Every tribal tattoo on Kiba's body was on full display on his muscular arms, chest, and legs further enhancing his Caribbean tan skin. His chocolate hair was a bit damp from the shower and coated sheen, whether from the air or shower, a wild disarray on his head like the animal spark in his eyes. No shirt, the same cream spandex and green grass decorations.

"You look good," Naruto commented, but then again, didn't they always? He swirled away from the mirror, meeting Kiba half way for a hi-five. "God was feeling extra horny when he made us, huh?"

"Ya know it."

Hidan stuck his head through the double curtains, red in the face. "Kiba! Naruto get your asses on stage. We're about to start!"

The pair rolled their eyes, but prepared themselves with a couple more adjustments. The girls were going to meet them from the other side of the stage. Naruto smiled, hearing the crowds growing impatience.

He was set. "Ready buddy?"

"Hell yeah, let's do this."

They were excited, they were more than ready. If things weren't right tonight, maybe they'd have a little fun on the side too. Goodness knows Naruto could use it.

The announcer called for the audience to quiet down. He gave a few details about what to expect tonight, information about where to get refreshments and answered any questions needing direct answers. Butterflies clung to Naruto's rib cage. He felt the anticipation blooming in his chest.

"_Here to present tonight's Melon Genesis Hula, give it up for our town's young crew. Naruto, Kiba, Hinata and TenTen!"_

Naruto got into form, head held high, and steps in place as he walked out on the stage, meeting Hinata and TenTen's just as gleeful eyes. He winked at them, chewing his bottom lip. This was going to be fun.

He turned, stretched his arms out in front of him and waited for the signal to begin.

As usual he scanned over the crowd of spectators, looking for the faces of old classmates, associates, classmates, neighborhood friends, co-workers, yeah he could see them all.

Except—No, no. Naruto shook his head. Now, call him crazy, but he knew good and damn well his eyes the best out there. But had he just . . . no he couldn't have.

Naruto cleared his throat when the signal was given and they took a simultaneous step forward.

Now closer to the piles of people, he was hopelessly certain more than ever now. He couldn't find the strength to swallow around the blockage in his throat.

He couldn't deny it. It was. It was Sasuke. He was in here. He was right there. _Right there_ in the third row of tables in the back. He was looking _right at_ him.

Oh God.

"Oh shit."

Those butterflies just took flight.

* * *

**TBC: The next chapter's going to be one of my favorites. ^_^**


	10. Tempting

**Author's Rant:** Enjoy the next chapter guys ^_^

* * *

**Tempting**

* * *

There were far too many emotions going through Naruto's body, he couldn't grasp the first or the next. The diner portion was a litter of small around tables meant for the company between one and four people. The place was packed to capacity, all sexes, and colors, appetizers ranging from a plate of cheese nachos, potato skins, hot and bbq wings, and a variety of other edible goodies. Yellow and red plastic cups provided their over twenty-one year old guests with a delicious reason to have those glossed eyed expressions, which was why Naruto never worried about a case of stage fright or cared for being embarrassed—of course he could dance, thank you very much. But he never had to wonder about judgment because the folks were too drunk off their asses to notice shit.

No open gaps were between the crooked pathways bunched between each table, and between those openings were individuals lined in chairs that couldn't get in in time to reserve a table.

That? Now that was what Naruto had expected when he came in this evening. They were who he was used too, who he was accustomed to performing for because it'd always been the same for the six years he'd danced for the Melon Genesis. But with a change, came a difference—and goddamn what a sweet, _fine_ difference it was.

Beneath the fluctuating sky lights alternating between cool blues, greens and whites to darker reds and oranges, they seemed to always fall in a symbolic worship of Sasuke's body. Naruto's throat went through a stage of being bone dry, so desperate for a cup of liquid.

_Damn._

Had he really bought that outfit for Sasuke with a clear head? _Shit, I set myself up for failure if I did,_ Naruto grimly chastised himself.

Every shred of blue in Naruto's sockets concentrated a dangerous travel up and down Sasuke's body from the hands shoved smoothly in his pockets, to the lazy lap of his mile-long legs crossed over the other. He was wearing a form fitted, long sleeved black, and cobalt blue Henley shirt, with the island's tribal designs sliding up and down both sides and centered on his right shoulder in a larger display, in a merging yellow and orange. All three buttons peeled away to the center of the small piece of skin not covered in fur; in the mid portion of epically toned pectorals that made Naruto's tongue dangle. Dark black jeans baggily hung by a brown belt and his clawed toes were stuffed inside some low top black Forces.

A plain, black snap-back fitted was pulled down over his eyes so low, Naruto had to softly lower himself in their next bow to see those eyes were indeed on him. Sasuke's expression didn't give Naruto anything to go by on what he was thinking. He didn't know what to make of his face.

_Jesus, so sexy._

Naruto swallowed sand.

Naruto tried to control his nervousness as he racked every speckle of blue in his eyes over Sasuke's face, wishing he could telepath for the bastard to go home instead of sitting there looking every bit a Greek masterpiece. He'd gone lightheaded; a dizzying side effect from what he knew was the smell of his own ecstasy.

A sharp snap gave the second signal for the team to rise from their bow. Naruto swallowed hard and mentally rattled his teeth loose. It was bad enough he was making a spectacle of himself, eyeing Sasuke like a dog for his steak, but he'd be damned if he let himself get embarrassed.

All he had to do was block out the image of the man and things will sail from there. No biggie. Just focus, stay calm and before he knew it, he'd be waltzing down the side steps to ask the fool what he was doing here getting him all hot and bothered.

"Psst, Naruto, ease back man," Kiba whispered out the corner of his mouth.

Naruto blinked, looking from side to side to see he was the only one in the previous pose instead of the next. Ah shit. He knew Zabuza was probably in the back looking for the best bullet to blast in his head. Naruto scattered brained as he was, managed to take a one step back and got into the same position as Kiba, arms up, left leg out.

He could do this. He could do this. Think of something other than Sasuke. Think not of how, of how. . .

Naruto's eyes were back to that black gaze like magnets.

In the murky background in his mind, he was glad something clicked in his head to recognize the music when the volume overtook the bass speakers on either side of the stage.

_Mi man, mi say  
Nuff gyal a road a chase you lately  
Mi know, the truth  
But that don't bother me  
So tell dem gyal dem, oooh  
And tell ya friend dem, oooh_

Hinata and TenTen took the front of the stage to begin their half of the dance; Naruto remained in the back going through a mirage of short knee highs and long waves with their arms. The boys heads swayed as they waited, biding their time with the same moves, the same repeated slides and turns until their favorite part came to the chorus. This would knock the audience through a loop. They always got a kick out of Naruto and Kiba kicking something different each year. This wouldn't be any different.

_My gun a go gun shot, in a dem blood claat  
Anywhere dem which part, any way dem go  
So tell dem gyal deh Yoooo, tell dem gyal say YOLO  
My gun a go shot, in a dem blood claat  
Anywhere dem which part, any way dem go  
So tell dem gyal dem yooo, mek dem gyal dem know_

They hustled to the front and hunched their backs, smacking their shoulders with the other hand, then the same to the opposite and wormed their sides left and right. Kiba and Naruto played it off swiping back their hair and wiggled in a way that could've made folks think they had some snake in their blood. The audience, mostly women, went crazy, cheering and hooping at getting some sexy samba. Kiba smiled, Naruto grinned like a mad man as they shuffled their feet in a crisscross, and buckled back behind the girls for their turn to persuade the audience in their favor.

_Mi man, he say  
I'm crazy over you ba-bayy  
No matter what  
They can't get in between us  
So tell dem gyal dem, oooh  
And tell ya friend dem, oooh_

Naruto and Kiba blended back, watching Hinata and TenTen's own kind of swish and frolic with the knee length hula grass skirts and sequence flaring bando bras, a tingling bright pink, just like the mini shorts winking between swings. Sexy oh yes, they handled themselves well, keeping their arms hung like vines around their sides, and wiggling in tune to their bodies.

Naruto felt himself getting back into rhythm, even if his eyes kept falling to Sasuke every now and then—mostly to see his reaction to the dance. It wasn't traditional par say, but it was all in good fun. He caught Sasuke's part oil, part midnight eyes trained solely on him. Naruto turned his head, chin high, meeting him dead center, never bowing out of his stride.

It was their turn again.

_My gun a go gun shot, in a dem blood claat  
Anywhere dem which part, any way dem go  
So tell dem gyal deh Yoooo, tell dem gyal say YOLO  
My gun a go shot, in a dem blood claat  
Anywhere dem which part, any way dem go  
So tell dem gyal dem yooo, mek dem gyal dem know_

The girls swagger to the side of the stage, giving majority of the room to Kiba and Naruto for the sudden palm press to the flood that levitated their legs in the air. They switched hands for minutely one hand stands, flipping their hips in a way damn near impossible for any man. Then they suddenly fell flat on the flood in a push up and saucily grinded the floor with boneless fluency. The screams cracked windows, the howls shook the floors. Kiba met Naruto's eyes and the two gave one last front chest roll before jack-knifing to their feet and hustling to the back.

_Zagga! I am de girls dem sugar  
Sometimes mi girlfriend wonder, hehehehe  
Lemme tell you somethin  
Beenie Man, zagga dem!  
I'm a G (na na na na)  
The girls them provide the lock for my key  
You alone, me ah pree  
You fulfill all my desires for me  
So go go tell a gyal, oooh  
And her friend dem, ooohhh_

Naruto froze, blinking bewildered when he noticed Sasuke gone from his place. He looked around discreetly for him to find the Cat Beast in a new setting, in one of the tables closest to the stage. He pulled it off so well, it looked like he vanished from one seat to the next; Sasuke sat the same way he had before, not a bit ruffled. Naruto licked his chapped lips and daringly let what he was feeling shine like magic in his eyes and thought whether Sasuke could catch the hint in anyway.

For a moment, he knew he had, because it was there in Sasuke's eyes, shining back at him; with an overwhelming allure to the black flame. And then Naruto turned away again as just as he saw Kiba getting prepared for their last solo piece, their shared look interrupted.

But Naruto knew what that look meant. He knew it all the way through and it piled his stomach to his windpipes with feathers.

_I love it when you're on top  
worst when you go backshot  
None ah dem nah have that  
Some of dem running we a go tell dem gal yoolo  
We a go tell dem gal yoolo  
'cause I love it when you're on top  
worst when you go backshot  
None ah dem nah have that  
Some of dem running we a go tell dem gal yoolo  
We a go tell dem gal yoolo_

Naruto mis-stepped, but he caught himself half way to the floor, turning in a swift three sixty, flexing his back for the crowd. Kiba left's came up for Naruto's right and they shared a look, bowing their backs in and out fast, hunching their shoulders, before giving the crowd their last seductive rumble. Three slaps to the thighs sent them back to the middle of the stage to duet with their partnered girl. Naruto to TenTen, Kiba to Hinata. It was the last part of the performance, everything from there the pairs would do in sync.

_Hey hey, hey pretty Nicki! Meet Admiral Dickie  
Friend dem a tell mi say you have the sticky sticky  
Gyal how yuh hot, and yuh sexy and pretty  
Me, yuh cherry mi want picky  
But it's not every girl in my life I've introduced to my momma  
But you are the girl I man choose to give honor  
So when some careless gyal a come with them silly drama  
Tell dem pause like a sentence, mi using the comma  
Mek we visit Marc Jacobs and call the weddin planner  
For a romantic settin in the middle of di savanna  
Cause love is in di air and ah wave like a banner  
Now the heart inna mi chest is like a hammer!_

It was the only rest they'd receive in this song. The slowest and lowest dip in the dance. The males had their hands on the girl's hips, the girl cupping the side of his face, guiding his chin to her shoulder as they sensually floated down to the floor. Naruto looked up to Sasuke, locking gazes with his face for what came next. He kept his hands look on TenTen, the Kiba the same to Hinata and just as the song picks up beat shook his crotch to her ass that had the entire crowd on their feet. Hinata and TenTen bent their backs far until all their hair fluttered on the floor, Kiba and Naruto's faces buried deep in their stomachs.

_I love it when you're on top  
worst when you go backshot  
None ah dem nah have that  
Some of dem running we a go tell dem gal yoolo  
We a go tell dem gal yoolo  
'cause I love it when you're on top  
worst when you go backshot  
None ah dem nah have that  
Some of dem running we a go tell dem gal yoolo  
We a go tell dem gal yoolo_

They swung the girls to their feet and separated, doing the remainder of the dance in a faster jig, stomping their feet to the ground, then pressed their hands down to the ball of their knees, bucking their shoulders in a simultaneous flow of their bodies left, right, way back and then hopped to their feet. The pulse of the music died to steady beats, until all that stood were the foursome, smiles stretched as high as their arms overhead.

If there was ever a time for earplugs, it would've been the moment the spine-vibrate praise came soaring across the room like jets. Clapping was a thing of the past; their voices deafened the entire chamber like a wash of rain. Naruto smiled, not a tooth speared the gleam of spotlights above. Naruto automatically scoured the between the wall of bodies for Sasuke's eyes and went instantly glued. His already dry throat went even more drained and his eyes widened incredulously as he stared heatedly at the Cat Beast's narrow reed thin gaze, keeping him rooted to the stage with his eternal darkness alone.

Naruto couldn't have moved if he got burned. He didn't know what to do about his heartbeat going into mach five, pin poning from one side of his ribs to the other. All his air was sucked from his lungs and he was grateful for someone, he assumed Kiba, dragging him off the stage by his arm.

That look.

Naruto quietly wondered if those where the same eyes a rabbit saw in a hawk's eyes before they swooped in; a predatory gleam that had no business making Naruto want to go back there and drop to his knees. All of his insides were fuzzed like the outside of spoiled peaches, but oh how he felt so damn gooey on the inside.

They all piled into the backroom, a sweated mess and bundle of excitement as they listened to their fans demand more.

Kiba dragged toward the benches dropping Naruto's heap on first and then went off to get some water. Naruto kind of heard him talking to him, but it came like that wah, wah, wah noise that teacher made on the peanuts show. Sasuke was just . . . damn; Naruto didn't know what adjective to go with for that man. Sexy just wasn't doing its job anymore in describing the energy, the absolute lust that swarmed Naruto's brain. And the way he wore that shirt, oh mercy, ivory should be named Sasuke.

"—ruto. Naruto, hey!"

Naruto jolted back to life, staring around frantically to remember where he was. The fuck? He found Kiba to his right, giving him a worried look. Naruto hoped the look of '_fuck me'_ expression wasn't that pronounced on his face. The last thing he needed was Kiba going wonky on him. "Yeah, yeah, what's up?"

"Did you hear a word I said?"

"No," Naruto got a better grip on himself and tried again. "What'd you say?"

Kiba rolled his eyes, "I said I'm gotta ask Hinata out tonight. You think she'll go for me?" Naruto was lost in his daze again. Kiba growled every drop of irritation in his throat and snapped a few to grab his friend's attention again. "Dude, what the hell? What's going on with you?"

"Sasuke's out there."

Kiba hacked out all the water that threatened to kill him. He swiped at his nose and looked to Naruto, eyes wide as saucer plates, "You shittin' me right?"

"I shit you not," Naruto hoarsed, taking a long time swig of the water. "I saw him in the audience."

"The fuck is he doing out there in front of people! The dude's a walking clip bag." Kiba's voice lowered ominously like he heard someone casting spells from the next room. "Is uh—did you see Kyuubi?"

Naruto looked at him then, finally giving the brunette his full attention. When he did of course, it was to deliver the biggest shit eater's grin in the universe, "I think so. I think he was by the bar but all he did was keep his eyes on you." Naruto shrugged having done his civic duty and out the corner of his eye, watched Kiba's slanted eyes shifty uneasily, turn to the wall and down into the few drops of water left in his cup.

Kiba turned to him mouth open to respond, then he closed it with a sigh and abruptly stood, "Fuck this," he grumbled. "I'm gonna go find Hinata. Catch up with me later."

"Sure," Naruto waved him off, a tiny spark of guilt electrocuting his mind. Maybe he'd taken it too far, teasing Kiba. He hadn't really seen Kyuubi out there, but most likely if Sasuke was roaming the streets, Kyuubi wasn't too far away. As easy as it was, Naruto wished he could hear his own advice when playing around with Kiba and Kyuubi's vibes, but he wasn't as keen to his own instincts. There was just something, just so many things Naruto wanted to do and all of it revolved around Sasuke.

On one hand he wanted to jump the guys bones and make him spell his name, front and back in tongues. Then on the other, whenever they did get close enough to smell each other, Naruto pondered the apprehensive emotions that ran through him. By giving his body, he was giving away a level of trust that he couldn't afford to have with Sasuke. The guy radiated mysterious, secrecy he just wasn't up to sharing. And still Naruto had to wonder about who this Minato person was. What was their connection to Sasuke?

* * *

"Kiba please, we can't."

"Come on baby, why not?"

Kiba braced himself against the wall beside the back side doorway.

Hinata sighed, clutching her hands, her eyes shyly darting to the floor, "Neji will be upset."

"That's because he's not ready to see his baby sister grow up," Kiba smiled softly at her, shaking his finger. "Don't tell me you haven't been thinking about me. I saw the way you stared at my ass."

"Kiba!" Hinata hid behind her hands, face retreating its milky white color to a blushing rose and looking just as lovely. "Don't say things like that. It's inappropriate."

"The way you were dancing up there was inappropriate," he blinked slowly up and down her body. It was amazing how a girl this fine didn't understand the power she could will with the simplest gesture. All she had to do was flick her wrist and a line of men would be coming to kiss it.

She was beautiful, impossibly gorgeous. Long, perfectly straight black hair, wide doe like pearl eyes and a body—good gracious—that curved like a slinky. She had hips perfected for grabbing and legs that refused to end. And those breasts? Kiba was all too familiar with those chocolate gum drops from a year back when he sucked them between his teeth the night when Neji had left for work. She had a voice made for moaning his name. It didn't help that she smelled sweet enough to lap his tongue all over her body too.

And knowing she was a virgin really made him want her more, "Babe, what can it hurt?" He asked, pushing off the wall. "I thought you liked me." His arm curved around her waist as he backed them further into a dark corner.

"Kiba, we mustn't," Hinata squirmed at the press of full lips on her neck. Then she softly giggled. "Someone will see us."

"Hmm mmm let 'em see," A hint of arousal burrowed deep in Kiba's chest as he guided his hands around to cup her supple ass. "You smell so good baby."

"Kiba. . ."

Kiba pulled his head back, and this time the gaze was slower, the smile more prominent and lazier. Hinata felt her cheeks flare up and tried not to show how nervous she was, ducking her head timidly to hide both her flush and the heartbeat in her stomach.

"Hey," Kiba murmured, and stepped forwards grinding his erection against her, waiting until she looked at him. "I've waited a long ass time to get to know you better, but I never thought you'd look at me. How many times have I tried to holla at cha' but you always said no."

"A lot of times, I guess." She meekly confessed.

"Too many times. Now how long you plan on making me wait, huh? I'm fine, you're sexy, we'd look good together."

"Maybe," Hinata's low mumble was cut off as Kiba lowered his head and pressed their lips gently together. Hinata gasped, eyes wide and Kiba rolled his tongue into her mouth with a heavy demand. She mingled in it more, landing her hands on his shoulders and pressing down. Kiba moaned, he felt her body molding against him, her weakening defenses letting him in.

"So this is what you do in your spare time, huh?"

Kiba growled savagely under his breath and Hinata pushed him away, straightening out her clothes. Of all the fucking moments to come butt his fucking nose in. Damn Kyuubi.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Kiba griped angrily. "Are you serious right now?"

Kyuubi's constant glam, that look of misconduct or devilment was nowhere in sight. Kiba actually flinched from how intense those spring green eyes looked; almost as ruthless as a—a killer. The Fox Beast was wearing solid long sleeve black thermal and equally whole black jeans devouring his entire body with the look of a bouncer. Kiba did a mad sweep over the way the color seemed to draw Kyuubi like a portrait, an outline art that magically came to life and casually draped in a color or two. All his hair looked like a victim's suicide from underneath a snap back black cap, all the red oozing on all sides.

"I was lookin' for you, Baby Boy. Now I see why I couldn't find ya," Kyuubi said in a voice heavy and thick as stone. He gave Kiba a cool look a beat later and shrugged. He gave Hinata a similar glance and nothing more. "So this ya honey dip?"

Kiba blanched, "What? Don't call her that. Show some respect man, Hinata ain't a fling."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, dumbass. Now do ya mind?" Kiba stressed with his eyes.

Kyuubi's look grew colder. "Cool, do you man." His sky height loomed over both humans like an airplane as he purposely walked between Kiba and Hinata, going out the backdoor with a none-too-gentle shove, rattling the raggedy frame like a can of rocks.

Kiba frowned. He couldn't have looked away from the swinging door if he tried.

And . . . he wondered what the fuck was going on with Kyuubi because if he recognized that look from anywhere and he was deeply shitting himself he really assumed this, but . . . he'd almost thought the guy was. . .

Nah, hell nah, fuck nah. He wasn't. No way.

He couldn't have been.

* * *

Naruto had been so content with staring inside the residue drops in his cup and the reflection inside that he hadn't noticed he was the only one left in the room, but he did notice when that silent harmony was spoiled by an accented voice, gravelly liquidized in his eardrums, "You're still back here."

All kinds of sin flushed throughout Naruto's body like a wildfire and every fiber of hair fastened to the sky like reaching out with pine needles for sunlight. Naruto couldn't look at him, but he could feel the protruding presence of Sasuke's like a mouse with nowhere to run. He swallowed, throat as dry as ever. Licking his lips was like swiping paper over gravel, and he wished for a way to break through the braided knots in his mouth, but came up with nothing.

Either talk or look at him, was all he had choose.

His head a was a useless mush, so he opted for gradually turning to the side and paled, heart galloping like a greyhound when he saw Sasuke looming in the doorway, height and dark complexity devouring the entrance. Phantom black eyes were lazily looking him over, firmly thin lips stretched in a straight line and the hat on his head, tilted so only one pupil could pierce Naruto like a spear.

Naruto shuddered, opened his mouth to say something, _anything at all_, but nothing came out. _He was absolutely star struck._

The Cat Beast's lips moved up a smidge in the corner. Naruto's eyes widened as he leaned off the door frame and walked—fuck that, he glided in on oil— igniting a bonfire in his loins. That wasn't walking, it was foreplay. Just from the look on his face, Naruto knew Sasuke knew what how he was effecting. And the sexy son of bitch was leering every bit like the cat he licked the cream.

"You weren't home when I got back," Sasuke said. "So I came looking for you."

Still nothing. Naruto was lost.

"I never knew you could dance like that," Sasuke was merciless, he hunkered down to his heels, less than a breath away from Naruto's chest, which he gave a lingering glance before reaching in his eyes. "The way you moved," Sasuke chuckled darkly. "I almost thought that was just for me."

Ooh, ooh, Naruto just knew he drifted away like a dandelion fluff in a breeze. Head light and body incredibly dulled to everything but the furiously sultry pleasure swimming through his nervous system, Naruto nodded dumbly, his tongue thick and salty.

Sasuke's smile became wicked and slowly, very _slowly _said, "So it was for me? Interesting."

Naruto snapped back like the bobble head out of water and frowned, "Say what?" he mumbled half stupid.

"That dance earlier," Sasuke stood and sat on the vacant space next to Naruto and leaned in, the air from his words coolly smelling sweet with water and mint. He licked his lips, "I think you were trying to tell me something."

Naruto wobbled like someone discovering his branch wasn't sturdy and mentally slapped himself silly. What the fuck was wrong with him? How many times was he going to make an ass out of himself in front of this man? You can only get these chances once. Naruto cleared his throat, chin jutted out and looked at Sasuke from behind his lashes, "Maybe I was." He could be daring too.

"Hm, tell me then," Sasuke leaned in, and rubbed his nose against Naruto's shoulder, rolling the mangling fruity scents on his tongue before swallowing. "What is it you want to tell me?"

Naruto stiffly held back a shiver, a rougher sound coming from his lips, "Ain't it obvious?" he murmured.

Sasuke felt drugged, languidly hypnotized into a bloom of fire. That bright, uniquely blond hair was very enticing, begging for his claws to scrap through and his skin . . . . The more Sasuke let his eyes roam over him, the more he grew to appreciate his looks. The guy was attractive, sculpted like pure bronze, torso, legs and arms, all a muscular treat he craved to explore. He casually had a taste for long legs, and dark skin. But when combined in a single package, that was a whole different game.

And Naruto wore it well.

Sasuke looked up and waited until Naruto did the same. They both took in the same breathe, possibly seeing in the other's eyes that read so much of what was crackling in the air. Sasuke suddenly chortled, a roaring rumble in his chest that crossed between a revving engine and a laugh, "Make it clear for me."

Brilliant blue cranked down on pure onyx, a smirk curled those caramel lips, "I can do that." Naruto raised his head.

"—yeah I know he's down here somewhere."

The stomping sounds, the raising voices and approaching audience withered the spell to smoke. Naruto shot to his feet in time catching Kyuubi's ears sagged to his scalp, "Ah shit, my bad!" He hollered backing out the door. "Lock the door if ya'll gonna be sinning up in here." TenTen who'd escorted him to the room had already left him to his fate and he almost felt bad for interrupting.

Naruto grinned sheepishly, "Nah, nah its fine. We weren't doing anything, but talking. Right?" He turned back to an empty space. Sasuke was gone and beside Kyuubi in a minute.

"What is it?" Sasuke tenured annoyed.

But Kyuubi didn't look the slightest bit amused. There was no joke in his gaze. He was dead serious. "Gotta jet a minute. I need to show ya something."

Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets, flicking his ears straight back under his cap, "Alright," He looked to Naruto and barked a soft, "Stay here." Before he and Kyuubi walked out.

"Why, Sasuke wait," Naruto clamored back at the hardened cast of black eyes, frosted over so hard from the warmth that shun before. What, what just happened there? Had he done something wrong? Was there something wrong? Naruto frowned so confused. One minute he was ready and amped for whatever and now Sasuke just ups and leaves?

Naruto snorted like a raged bull and started snatching off his costume. Fuck it. Fine. Let him act as he wanted. Naruto was going to get some answers though, he knew that much. He needed to take shower anyway. Might as well work out some stress while he was in there too.

His dick was hard enough to smash a building. And he knew he was going to get off real good just thinking about how close he'd gotten to Sasuke.

* * *

The late evening wasn't clear this time. It was covered, royally dusted with streaks of thin clouds and the wind so subtly carrying them along. No stars, barely the glimpse of the moon and a couple of shining beacons in the sky. The Cat and Fox Beasts stood out on the ring of metal circling the Tiki Hut, minds muted of the excitement, the robust hustle, or suggestive glances. Their minds were honed in on something.

Sasuke and Kyuubi stayed trained to the sky, and watched and listened and felt every hair prickle to life on their bodies

"You see him?" Kyuubi wrinkled through his fangs.

Sasuke's eyes dilated lethally straight like hooked daggers, "Yeah, I see him."

Kyuubi licked his lips, a hungry boiling in his bloodstream, "Tsk, that motherfucka' thinks he slick."

"Let him think what he wants," Sasuke assured, gripping the steel riles between his palms. The bar came back a perfect imprint. "We'll get his ass before he strikes." Sasuke's ears flickered. "For now, we'll wait and see what he does first."

"Fine by me," Kyuubi sucked his teeth, bumping off the rail to head back inside. Sasuke wasn't long behind him, backing away slowly, his eyes breaking from his target by the shade of the canopy.

Up above, the clouds dispersed, a wound carved by an invisible blade, bleeding the moon's glow.

The shadow of wings gripped the crescent edges like a vise. Silent and keyed in, so profoundly on its prey; there would be a moment of strike soon.

Very soon.

* * *

**Song: Nicki Minaj feat. Beenie Man: Gun Shot**


	11. Mixed Emotions

**Author's Rant:** Finally! Enjoy ^_^

* * *

**Mixed Emotions**

* * *

An hour later, Naruto emerged from downstairs, freshly bathed, blond hair shampooed and messily styled, and smelling like Irish and Melon Mangos. He'd pulled on an Army green sleeve-less polo, dark tan cargo pants and a pair of Timberland tan boots to complete the outfit. It was a hell of a difference from the earlier sweat and musk gained from dancing hard. He'd had to lock up the dressing room after checking with TenTen, Hinata, and Kiba to be sure they were finish and to keep anyone from sneaking downstairs to do the naughty.

When Naruto appeared into the world of Technicolor and surround sound, he couldn't resist the cheesy smiling pulling at his cheeks.

The upturned evening gradually became a groovier version of a night club as the evening warmly wound down. The humidity picked up, adding more discomfort to the crowding Tiki Hut, but the populated place was hardly effected. The ceiling fans sprinkled drizzles of water, swaying from side to side to accommodate the whole floor. Neon pinks, greens, and yellows gathered and splattered against the straw-sown walls and curtains, collaborating with the sexy beats of Rihanna's song, '_Pour It Up'. _

The stereos were turned up, rattling the walls like the aftershock of an earthquake. From the outside looking in, it'd almost seem like a beast was trying to burst free from the interior. Hardly the case. After Kiba and Naruto's Melon Genesis Dance, it'd affected the audience with such velocity, that they too felt the need to match their performer's entertainment by making some of their own. The lights were dimmed, drinks were passed all around and chatter was laced with laughter and singing.

The townspeople were living it up.

It was a blast, a world full of beautiful fun.

Naruto should've been out there dancing like a psycho path hyped on Xstasy, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the safety of his bar stool. The little ginger ale in his hand refused to produce that satisfied tingled he enjoyed because his mind was, once again, occupied with that damned Cat Beast.

Sasuke had been gone for three days without an excuse as to why, and when he returns, it's to show up here of all places, dressed like—like he'd just stepped off the cover of Vogue.

Damn he looked good as hell too, and smelled just as nice. And then he comes into the dressing room like a predator on the hunt and—and, Naruto didn't know what _that_ was that happened between them. It confused the hell out of him because Sasuke's mood swings flipped like a light switch. They'd been flirting, became damn near close to-to, well if they'd reached that point, Naruto would know. But then Kyuubi came down stairs saying he had to show him something.

Then Sasuke's whole demeanor changed. See, that part was what made Naruto's head feel like ACME was testing dynamite on his brain. Naruto twirled the plastic umbrella in his glass, eyebrows bunched tight on his forehead. If there was a time for getting drunk, he should've wasted all his aggravation now. At least he wouldn't have to deal with all these conflicting emotions and worrying half his thoughts on everything about Sasuke.

Naruto sighed after finishing off his glass, and then pushed it forward for another light hit with extra cherries and a mix of liquor to boost the effects. Sitting here was killing his buzz. After getting a refill, Naruto tipped the bartender and eased off the stool to blend in with the wave of people.

So many people were bumping and grinding like the tidal flow of a wave to a new mix between Nicki Minaj and Drake, Naruto couldn't help but fall into a small two-step to keep with the pace.

As Naruto traveled through the elbow-tight space, navigating through the maze of mini-skirts, tube talks and name brand clothing, he took occasional sips of his drink, observing the body count of guests. It was going to be one hell of a cleanup tomorrow and he was glad he wouldn't be held accountable for that responsibility. He surveyed the room, picking out familiar faces, some he knew, and some he was glad he didn't know.

Still no Sasuke. Yes, Naruto could quietly confess to himself that he'd been looking for the Cat Beast, maybe hoping he was still around. It couldn't be helped. Naruto progressed onward, squeezing through constricted bodies, feeling the sharp pulse of music pound through his rips like a xylophone. When a darker, slower beat mix came on it turned the entire Tiki Hut crowd into a purring beehive. Naruto felt the urge to swoon, delicate strands of his favorite tune from Adele, Sky Fall, caressing his ears. They were really turning the bass low now.

Near the edge of the wall by the windows, Naruto spied Temari, Choji, TenTen and Kiba idling around a wall table, engaged in conversation. Choji had his arm snuggly fastened around Temari's waist, interlocking his fingers with the ones on her stomach as he and Kiba talked and laughed. Temari was wearing a simply yellow sundress with white and pink flowered wedge sandals, chatting with TenTen and absently rubbed at her stomach when she caught sight of Naruto and beckoned him over to join.

She turned to the others and pointed Naruto out in the crowd. Soon the whole table was begging him to waltz over. It'd give him a moment to focus on something else other than Sasuke at least. Naruto gestured back with his half empty glass and bumped from body to body until he reached the table, choosing to stand next to Kiba.

Kiba had showered earlier and changed into a light blue V-neck shirt, some jet Levi's black jeans and black, white and blue pattered Converse shoes. "Hey, you heard the news?" Kiba yelled over the music, jutting his chin at Temari and Choji.

"Nah, what's going on?" Naruto leaned as far in the middle of the group as he could to listen.

Temari leaned in too, voice proud and husky deep, "We're gonna have a baby, Naruto. The doctor confirmed it this morning!"

"Oh word?" Naruto's charming smile plastered on like paint. "About time you told 'em. Congratulations guys," he directed a quick wink at Choji. "Keep putting buns in the oven Choji and ya might end up with a football team."

"Hell no," Laughed Choji, giving his girlfriend a light squeeze. "We'll make about six more and call it quits."

Temari playfully gasped, swatting Choji's chest, "You must be planning to have the rest?"

"Come on, love. We gotta fill the house somehow."

Kiba snorted, leaning forward, "Well hell if he is, he's already started!"

"Shut up, my babe's not fat. That's big bone!" Temari corrected.

"Wrong baby, I call it husky."

Naruto made the buzzer noise, "Wrong again Choji, we call that hungry!"

Everyone got in a hearty laugh, spreading old stories of the past and future plans. Naruto at times listened in and out of the conversations, throwing in his input whenever someone addressed on a subject he could deliver a quick answer too. Unfortunately, as he toyed around the melting ice in his glass, his mind started to stray again. Sometimes it went here, other times it went there. Majority of the time, it wandered off into the abyss until the picture of Naruto's irritation would play in his head. Naruto shook his head, fully aware of the concern filtering from Kiba's glances.

Damn he was getting sick of this. Naruto needed to push these thoughts aside and enjoy himself. The last thing he needed was adding more stress to his already stressful life. Besides, hadn't Sasuke said before not to be concerned about him? Such as not prying into his personal life, not giving a shit what he did or who he did it with? Yeah, fat chance of that happening. Especially when this Minato person was still a mystery Naruto wanted desperately to solve.

Suddenly a loud commotion riled up half the dance floor, coming from the far east wall of the building. Naruto and the others rose up, eyes automatically following the guide of nosey people, then relaxed when it turned out to be a couple of dirty dancers. Kiba and Naruto on the other hand were breathing easier for totally different reasons.

Kiba bumped his shoulder against Naruto's and leaned in to press his lips against his ear, "You seen the Pussy Beasts lately?" He said just loud enough for Naruto to hear.

The blond shook his head, "Not for an hour. Sasuke came downstairs after the show, but Kyuubi came and said they had to go somewhere. I don't know where."

Kiba nodded, though he tried to appear uncaring, Naruto saw the way his eyes gave the hut a slow sweep, "You think they'll come back?"

"There's no telling," Naruto said and thought a moment before saying. "Sasuke said to stay here before they left."

Kiba nodded and shrugged, "We're gonna have to leave soon anyway. Zabuza said he wanted to shut down at two o'clock."

"What about Kyuubi and Sasuke?"

Kiba gave his best friend a dark look, "If they found their way here, they can find their way back. I personally don't give a damn if he comes home. He showed his ass tonight."

Naruto frowned, curiosity piqued, "Something happened between you and Kyuubi?"

The shattering swirls of neon nearly disguised Kiba's blush, "Yeah," he said quietly, and then a little louder for Naruto. "He saw me and Hinata together and started tripping. I don't get this dude, man. He just came out of nowhere and coped an attitude like I did something wrong. Ya know he even called Hinata my honey dip? Like she was some cheap hoe?"

"Where is she now?"

Kiba rolled her eyes, "Went home. Said, she was feeling tired."

Another loud burst of cheers and shook the floor beneath their feet. Throes of people migrated to a different direction of the dance floor. The friends easily returned back to their personal chatter, but found it hard this time around when the clamor came in intervals. Every five to seven minutes the uproar took a new kind of octave.

"Somebody must be pourin' it up," Naruto concluded, rising to his tip toes to get a better look.

Kiba did the same, head weaving back and forth over the hills of heads and wild hair styles. This time noise elevated as wild as a stampede of wildebeest. Someone managed to burst through the hugging crowd and rushed to the bar, slamming a bill on the table. "Get 'em whatever they wait! These boys mean business!" Then the excited man wearing a Hawaiian merged back into the center of it all with a smile far too big for his face.

Naruto knew it didn't take much to get these islanders riled up, but now he found himself wanting a piece of the glory.

"Wanna see what's up?" Kiba said, already inching towards the ground shaking pandemonium. "Might be fun."

Naruto twisted his lips to the side in thought. "Sure, why not?" He didn't have anything else better to do except mope. Naruto chucked back the last of his drink and gave a two finger salute to their friends as he and Kiba commuted around, their noses filling with the hot twinge of liquor and cigarette smoke. It could've been anything causing this calamity to unfold in the Tiki Hut. Like, a pair of exotically bump-and-grinding dancers, someone throwing back shots like sunflower seeds, or perhaps some girls deep throating each other. Naruto had experienced enough to be prepared for anything by now.

Their trooping came to a halt just as the fortress of people howled and pumped fists in the air for whomever it was giving them a show.

"Someone else wanna take 'em on?"

"Shit, I'll go!"

"You already got your ass whooped. Let's get someone new!"

Whooped doing what? They knew fighting was illegal in this place right? Naruto was hardly trying to play referee on his day off but if push came to shove, he'd gladly tell these assholes where the front door was. If he could get to the root of this crowd. Damn it was thick.

Another sharp burst of cheer came roaring from the sea of spectators. When they kept the cheer afloat, Naruto used this chance to duck and weave through the spaces it cause and wound up as close as he was going to get. The closer to the center it was, the harder it was to squeeze through.

"You sure you wanna go on, son?"

The fuck? That was Hidan's voice.

"I'm ready."

Naruto staggered back; quite positive he heard what he hoped he hadn't heard. If there was even an ounce of mercy in heaven, then if Naruto finished his way to the middle of this chaos, he wouldn't find the man he thought it was.

"Ya heard the man! Go get 'em another beer. Fuckin' stat!"

Naruto's shaky confirmation only became more accurate when he heard another hyped, baritone voice impossible to ignore.

"Bring it baby, I ain't sittin' here for my health. Lay it on me!"

Son of a bitch. Somewhere in the crowd, Naruto heard Kiba's sudden "What the hell?!" shouted. This was fine, because he was thinking the same thing.

* * *

The Beasts slammed their elbows on the table simultaneously, wearing expressions of pure determination. Kyuubi's smile was zipped cockily to the side of his mouth, revealing his fangs. Sasuke's lone eye was all he'd present his next challenger. Together, their triceps rose up and to the side, hands cupped open.

How they got roped into this wasn't difficult to understand. It was what they were trained into doing: accepting any challenge dared to them. Participation wasn't an option. They couldn't back out. When they'd come back inside the party, it'd been solely to gather their caregivers and go home. That took longer than expected for Sasuke and Kyuubi, because when they journeyed back downstairs to where they last saw Naruto, he was gone. They couldn't find hide or hair of Kiba either. And picking them out of this disarray of perfumes, colognes and other un-assortable smells only agitated them more.

Kyuubi was pushing through, nose turned in the air, sniffing and eyes peeled. Both he and Sasuke were running on high from the overwhelming noises, at times wondering if they'd need their fangs or claws. One particular noise drew their attention to a small bar table where two burly humans had their hands grasped, elbows planted firmly down. Sasuke's ears kicked up right away as the familiar call of bones threatening to snap, called him forth.

"What are they doing?" Sasuke wondered aloud.

A tall human with short, gray hair turned around, red eyes wide, "Arm wrestling kid. Why, you want in the action? Twenty bucks per win."

"It's a fight?"

The guy jerked his head a little, and then a crafty smile pulled his sharp cheeks. You'd think he'd won the lottery, "If you wanna treat it that way, yeah. Just beat anyone who comes up asking to challenge ya and if you win, you get the money."

Kyuubi's ears immediately perked under his hat, "Money? How much?"

"I said twenty a pop, brat!"

The Fox Beast bristled to the tip of his tail, but second guessed running his claws across this human's mouth. Instead, he opted for looking down at his shorter companion, "We in?"

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, studying the actions taken by the current competitors. It wasn't long before a winner was produced and after seeing what it took to win, Sasuke folded back his sleeves, eyes glossing from the neon lights like reflectors. "We're in."

That'd been ten competitors ago for each beast. Sasuke was one up on Kyuubi after taking out the previous winner. They'd taken down every potential challenger, none of them holding a candle to current young bucks. Their gray haired informant was shuffling through the people, taking stacks of money, calling out bets and so forth.

Sasuke's mind was calculating like mad. By now he should be up to two hundred of these bucks, this man called it and Kyuubi should be rounding out to one eighty. Adrenaline was slipping through his veins like warmed oil. Sasuke hadn't felt this kind of rush since Coney Island; the pulse of the crowd, the screams of chaotic demand, the need to win to survive. It was a bedlam he knew all too well and was easily able to fall back into routine.

These last few challengers were cakewalks. No one could compare to the strength of a beast and the two creatures knew it well enough to keep going. If possible, they could go all evening or until the bold challengers gave up and moved on.

"Who's next?" The gray man shouted. When no one answered, he dramatically rolled his red eyes. "Ah come on ya bunch of pussies. They ain't stole ya manhood have they? You left your balls with your wives?" He earned some dishearten grumbles that time, but still no takers. "We're stacked at four hundred bones for these kids! Ain't nobody trying to get it?"

That was perfect. Sasuke planned to win this next one and then defeat anyone else he dared to come forth.

"Lay off old man," Kyuubi chuckled tauntingly at the surrounding men. "Ain't their fault they can't hang."

"You gonna let this red headed pussy call you out?"

"Watch ya mouth!"

"Shut up," Hidan gave the men a disapprovingly glare. "I'll up the bids to five hundred. Any takers? Anybody?"

Silence. What little pride remained in the field was going to be saved. The scent of apprehension dropped around Tiki Hut as heavy as natural gravity. Eyes shifted from side to side, some strayed to the floor. The level of uncertainty rung loud and clear; no one was willing to publically humiliate themselves against these new guys.

And that's how the competition should always be, Sasuke smugly mused. The lowest of the low should know their placed and once placed there, remain.

"I'll take 'em."

Oh yeah, now we had another idiot who thought he could stand on his own. Sasuke had his brazen scowl at the ready, mind zeroing on one focus, one mission and one set goal: to win. His space-dark eyes leveled with the chest of the one who took the chair across and when the face of his challenger leveled, Sasuke's concentration darkened. Kyuubi was just as surprised, if not angry when yet another stupid fool followed behind the first and positioned himself across his table too.

The reaction to these well-known faces gave the crowd a boost of confidence that some homeland fighters were willing to take the battle for the team. Sasuke's expression was paralyzed stiff, instincts blossoming in his chest. Seeing Naruto as his next opponent, it was nearly unsettling. And disturbingly interrupting his mood.

Naruto propped his elbow on the cherry wood surface, lips split from a grin and the air around him pulsating as wild as the scattering neon lights. The light acted as his spotlight. No matter how it seemed to shape and reconstruct elsewhere, it always seem to present him in this oasis. Sasuke's eyes twitched, the first sign of hesitation he'd had since this began. The scent of mangos milked his senses like a newborn. The scent alone tempted his eyes to dance across the blonde's face, his eyes and body as if he could pinpoint where the smell originated.

Instead, it only enhanced his already shaky reluctance. He couldn't hurt him. Those eyes were too similar to another he remembered. And, and just because it was Naruto. Sasuke leaned away, eyebrows pressing down his brow, stretching his legs out under the table.

"What the hell are you doing?" He spoke subtly. Even against the crowd, his words came out as clear as crystal.

"Challenging you," Naruto cockily said. "What's the matter? Chicken-shittin' out?"

Sasuke's face took on the darkest scowl in the universe, "Get outta here before you embarrass yourself."

"I doubt that, kitty cat," Naruto's fingers grabbled the open air. "Try me. I can make it worth your while." He winked, "Come on, it'll be fun."

"Leave," Sasuke said in the same tone as before. "It's not about fun. I wanna win."

"Then come and get it."

"Not with you. I can't."

"Why not?" Naruto asked genuinely confused at first and then when his eyes dulled, Sasuke could tell he'd come to the wrong conclusion. "Listen, if it's about what happened downstairs—"

"Nothing happened downstairs," Sasuke said. "Just get lost. We'll come find you after we're done."

A new shine erupted in Naruto's eyes. The dullness vanished, replaced now with such a change in emotion, Sasuke would've thought this was a new person. "So, nothing happened, yeah? Find, treat me like ya don't even know me. Ya wanna win so badly, then kick my ass like you did them."

It wasn't that easy. They were nothing, nobodies. Sasuke had no obligations to them. They were disposable bodies, easily forgotten, easily harmed. A quick glance would show that those who chose to go against the Beasts were suffering swollen arms and tender bones. If any of them had chosen to continue, their arms would've broken. Sasuke didn't, no, he wouldn't bring himself to do that to Minato—No, Naruto, Naruto, damn it!

"What's the hold up? Ya gonna keep us waitin'?"

"Yeah you can take this shrimp, easy!"

The onlookers were becoming antsy, voices growing higher and more impatience as the foursome only stared on. Kiba and Kyuubi had yet to break their intense staring contest. It was thick and hot as gravy. Their eyes were locked, backs ridged and something uncanny stirring between them.

"Well?" Naruto snapped. "Ya gotta play me?"

Sasuke's gaze averted at the sound of that tone. The whole crowd was suddenly baffled silent when Sasuke's chair pushed back, with him standing. "No, I forfeit."

"You, you what? Hey, where you going? Sasuke? Sasuke, hold on!"

Naruto leapt from his chair, knocking it to the floor as he circled around the table to grip the Cat Beast's arm. Sasuke's skinny pupils could've cut through Naruto's soul, but the blond refused to back down, "Let go of me." The beast sneered.

"No, what's going on with you? Why are you suddenly treating me like a red-haired step child?"

"Because that's how you're acting right now."

Naruto paused at that. "Why are you tugging me back and forth like this—damn it, will you stop walking away from me?" Naruto said when Sasuke pulled at his arm and kept on walking. "Sasuke—"

"Shut up!" This time when Sasuke freed his arm, he turned to face the blond, devouring every inch of space between them. "You're so damn annoying."

"_I'm _annoying?" Naruto stepped up, if possible with the little space between them, chest bumping Sasuke, though the Beast didn't budge an inch. "Are you serious right now? I'm annoying? You're the fuckin' annoying one. I can't tell what's up or down with you—you're driving me crazy!"

Sasuke's blew a long sigh, turning on his heel, "Whatever." Sasuke ignored the disappointed boos and unmanly teases at his fear of fighting a newcomer. He simply pushed his way through, snatched his money from the gray haired human and vanished into the sea of bodies.

Kyuubi took longer to break his focus on Kiba before he too, stood and followed behind his partner, never once breaking eye contact with Kiba, "We'll be outside." He said and left.

Naruto stood where he was, heated worst then a furnace. Whatever? Whatever? Was that all he had to say? Naruto had never wanted to scream loud enough to explode eardrums. Why was this damn man aggravating him this way? One minute he acted like he enjoyed Naruto's company and the next he treated him like a housefly.

He had no clue what the deal was, but he planned to have a talk with Sasuke as soon as possible.

* * *

His nose detected a soft odor almost a minute after walking out the door. Sasuke's pelt staggered on end, like a valley of hornet stings. When his feet touched the unpaved path outside the Tiki Hut, his head snapped back so hard the snug of his cap loosened and fell away, revealing the almost needle-sharp point of his ears. The time he'd spent calming himself enough to talk to Naruto was destroyed as soon as he looked up at the sky.

Wisps of cirrus clouds trafficked the skies like herds of fabric. His nose wasn't fooling him. He knew what he sensed and knew it was only a matter of time. The question was when, why and how had it gotten this far unnoticed.

If it would come down to it, Sasuke would return to his old instincts to bring down the threat before it had the chance to act. And it was those ancient thoughts clouding the humane part of his personality, gradually taking a control as his claws pricked the inside of his palm and his pupils enclosed to mere slits.

"Sasuke!"

Like the snap of a whip, that voice was what broke the spell of death. Almost instantly Sasuke's raven eyes spread circular. It'd take a while longer to retract his claws so he tucked them in his pockets and turned a lazy glance at Naruto's approaching form. Sasuke's walk slowed, and then stopped as if controlled by an invisible collar. Naruto came up short, perhaps having not expected his request to be answered.

The color of deep black seemed to cast a transparent background of the dark night behind. Naruto licked his lips. Sasuke followed the pink slit from start to finish, and then leveled his soul-snatching gaze with the blond. His expression was distill, his body placid and cool, the only movement coming from the blasé swish of his tail. It was that, that look. Just like the one from the balcony before. Why so sudden now?

Naruto slowed up about a foot back from Sasuke, blue eyes as thin as an Egyptian paint stroke. Despite the accessing glare, he found the bravery to speak, "We need to talk, Sasuke."

"Alright," Sasuke fully turned to face him. "I'm listening."

What the hell? Naruto had to shake his head and close his eyes, mind promising to give a hurricane-worthy headache. Was he kidnapped into a twilight zone? Where was the pig-skinned son of a bitch? He hadn't expected to even get this much and now that he had, Naruto couldn't bring it in him to say a word. Sasuke's ears twitched, face as empty and unreadable as usual.

It forced Naruto to drop his eyes to the ground like a child.

He felt like the stupid one now, having demanded his chance to speak and now that he had it, he couldn't do anything with it. The humidity circulated around like a tongue on his skin, only building around the suddenly hot atmosphere. Naruto's eyes dipped to the ground as he ran his hand over his slightly dampened spikes. He was so busy trying to decide how to bring back that earlier courage, that the sound of Sasuke's approach wasn't heard until the Cat Beast presence swallowed him whole.

That clean smell blasted Naruto's nostrils like dynamite and the animalistic warmth from his body was impossible to ignore. Everything about this man seemed to build a shield around Naruto's common sense and try as he might he couldn't break it down. He wished, he wished so hard that those damn bottomless black eyes stripped his spirit apart. Why couldn't he think? Why couldn't he speak? Why was it so hard?

Naruto swallowed something thick and shuttered, taking a deep hollow breath and releasing it. He was able to turn his eyes to the side, but his body wouldn't obey his want to just walk away. He stared off at the far distance, the echo of the festive activities a dull roar in his ears. Naruto sighed, "Never mind." He should've never said anything. What was it going to solve? He already knew the answer to his questions. "Forget it," He finally said, though his body still wouldn't budge. God, why did he want so much to start over?

Naruto swallowed again and again, each gesture becoming slower and harder to do. He was fucking close to be frustrated to tears. Maybe more at himself for not figuring out the Cat Beast's attitude towards him or Naruto putting himself through this. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Those same tears were creeping to the corners of his eyes, some ready to slip over the slope of his eyelashes.

"I'll see you home. You can stay around if you want," Naruto dragged his hand over his hair this time around, further messing up his already untamed head. When Naruto couldn't bring anything else stupid out of his mouth, he winched when two clawed fingers pinched his chin and tilted, mercilessly forced him to meet those predatory eyes.

He hadn't . . . he hadn't realized Sasuke had gotten this close. The intensity of Sasuke's eyes were so gripping that the thick and slightly rough swathe of a warm tongue running over the thinnest part of Naruto's eye, didn't fully register. Naruto belatedly realized after a moment that even in the less-lit area, Sasuke had smelled the tears. The second lick came to clean away the other eye, Naruto struck stun.

When Sasuke leaned away, a new kind of emotion reflected in his eyes with the momentary flickers of lights arousing from the hut. It was a small, piece by piece becoming more evident the more Naruto stayed trapped in the void. They were softer, even and caring. Naruto couldn't swallow another drop of spit to save his dry throat.

Sasuke moved closer, hovering like a looming storm.

At long last Naruto's lips separated and the question he wanted to ask came careening forth, "Why do you make me feel this way?" He choked. "I don't. . . I don't know how—" When his face descended, Sasuke's strong grip tilted him back up.

"Because, you confuse the hell outta me," Sasuke said quiet and precise. "With you, my emotions take a turn for the worst. And do you know what that's like? No, you wouldn't because you're not me. I don't know what my next move is around you and that angers me. It pisses me off," Sasuke edged closer until there was absolutely no escape for Naruto to flee. "I've haven't felt like this in years. If I'm confusing you Naruto, you can't even fathom the way you fucking confuse me."

"Then, then why?" Naruto mumbled. "Back there, you—" Those last words were muffled against cotton and the curve of his Sasuke's neck. Naruto's gasp brought the tastes of clean skin and salt against his lips. A large hand palmed the back of Naruto's head, securing him close as the sweep of another hand glided to the center of his back and pressed.

"Idiot, you didn't notice? I used them," Sasuke's muffled voice said against Naruto's hair. "I wanted to compete. I didn't mind hurting them. You? I can't use you, can't treat you the same," A small chuckle. "I don't want to hurt you again. That clear enough for you? So stop crying already."

Naruto recovered his wits to slip his hands around Sasuke's ribs, and gripped him right back, just as hard. "Fuck you." Well if this wasn't clear enough, then Naruto would gladly kick his own ass. This told him more than enough to finally push out the air held in his chest. God, he hoped his tears would stop. He hadn't known what to expect but, whatever it was that came, Naruto was glad it had.

Naruto felt the swell and collapse of Sasuke's chest from a deep sigh, "You look so much him, Naruto." The embrace tightened as Sasuke's accent caressed each syllable of Naruto's name. ". . . I can't help but feel this way."

Ok.

Ok . . . it was Minato then. Not Naruto. Not him.

Naruto eased away from the embrace first, a watery smile in place. He noticed it, wishing he had from the start, that when those eyes softened, even once, maybe because he was seeing someone else. And that person had to be this Minato person.

Wow.

_Lucky bastard_, Naruto thought as he stared into those melted black eyes. When he opened his mouth to say so, Sasuke's eyebrows lowered over his eyes, giving the appearance of a kitten at the mercy of its master. Of course, Naruto would never say that aloud, nor would he mention his opinion over Minato's effects. He shook his head and stepped fully away, picking up the discarded cap, "Let's go." He tossed the cap at Sasuke.

Naruto walked around and started in the direction that'd take him home. His smile was small when he heard Sasuke's footsteps following behind.

* * *

Kiba cursed under his breath a third time as he stared up ahead at the retreating back of his walk-home partner. He'd expected to find Naruto outside waiting for him, but instead he came up short when it was Kyuubi to emerge from the side of the building. And when he had it was with an expression as sour as green grapes. It was a mega change over the beast he'd saw across the table before. When Kiba had sat down, with his hand out, ready for the challenge, Kyuubi's face went slack.

There was a shred of frolic in those green eyes as normal when he spied Kiba. They liquefied into something like molten lava, bright as spring grass. Then all at once, it vanished when Kyuubi stood from the table and left behind Sasuke.

The Fox Beast hadn't said a single word since they left twenty minutes ago. It was just him and Kiba out here. Sasuke and Naruto were probably just making it home, which left Kiba alone to deal with this pissed off creature. When he glanced up again, this time Kyuubi's head was bent back, eyes tearing the night sky to ribbons with a dangerous look. All of the red hair tucked under his snap cap shook loose and fell. The hat dropped to the dusty ground, stumbling on its side to Kiba's feet.

When it didn't seem like Kyuubi would make the effort to come and get it, Kiba bent down to catch it and dusted off the dirt from the smoothly stitched surface. It gave him the opportunity to race ahead and see for himself what was going with the Fox Beast. Kiba had to skip twice just to match the creature's long-legged stride.

"You might wanna put this back on," Kiba said, looking up the man's strong profile, with hat in hand. He lost his train of thought for a split second when Kyuubi's skinny pupils found Kiba's brown ones, no trace of care in them.

"Keep it," Kyuubi said and kept walking.

The sharp snap stabbed Kiba's belly worse than any blade. What was with him? Every time Kiba didn't want to be bothered Kyuubi was quick to get on his nerves. Now he was acting like the boy was nothing more than a nuisance. That bothered Kiba as much as that wicked glare.

And it pissed him off. So much so, it crowded his mind with stupidity instead of common sense because he stalked angrily around and blocked Kyuubi's leisure stroll with the palm of his hand on his chest, "The hell is wrong with you?"

Kyuubi's eyes darkened, "Get the fuck outta my way, Kiba." He shoved pass, the echo of his dismissal ringing like a gong in Kiba's ears.

That, sort of hurt. Kiba brushed it off and regained his ground, circling around one last time and used all his strength to push Kyuubi's chest, failing to knock the Fox Beast to the ground. "What's with this attitude? You've been actin' pissy with me all night!"

Kyuubi jerked his head from side to side, unleashing a loud crack from each side, "And?"

"_And_ it's gettin' on my nerves!"

Kyuubi opened his mouth, then suddenly jack knifed his head backwards, eyes peeled. The sudden movement caused Kiba to jump and glance around too, especially when Kyuubi's ears fanned around as if having heard something. There was so much paranoia intensifying Kyuubi's muscles, they looked ready to burst from his clothes.

Kiba eyed the beast carefully, signals blooming in his head when he heard something like thunder purr from Kyuubi's throat. What the hell was going on? Why the sudden guard? This weary look? It scared Kiba shitless and made him continue to be so as he twirled around over and over as if some kind of monster was hiding in the midst and only Kyuubi could see it.

Fuck, he hated feeling vulnerable.

But almost as fast as it happened, the dense air evaporated. Kyuubi's body relaxed, though his eyes remained sharp as razors. Those sage green eyes were keyed up like an electric jump. Even when Kyuubi lowered his gaze from the sky, he refused to look at Kiba and simply walked past him, like he wasn't there.

"Let's go!"

Kiba jumped from the devilish bark, heart lunged to his throat. It turned his stomach inside, out and created an impossible flood of anguish to tickle his ribs. Kiba clutched his fingers around the hat in his hand. "Damn it!" He shouted and sprinted forward.

This time when he blocked Kyuubi's way, the fox gave him the satisfaction of looking at his eyes. Only when he had, the sheer magnitude of anger in those eyes froze Kiba to the soles of his shoes.

"You want something?"

Kiba frowned, so lost, "What—I don't get it. Why ya givin' me the cold shoulder? What's wrong?"

Kyuubi snorted, "_Now_, you give a damn?"

"I'm standin' here askin', aren't I?"

"Whatever," Kyuubi started to step around, but Kiba side stepped him. He rolled his green eyes. "Move," he said bored. Kiba didn't. Of course the son of a bitch wouldn't. "You ain't got some bitch to fuck or somethin'?"

"What?" Then it dropped on Kiba like a sack of hammers. "Dude, you're still on about Hinata?" He didn't have to answer. The twitch of the fox's lips gave him away. "We didn't even do anything, thanks to you. She went home!"

Kyuubi ticked his lips, "So why ya standin' here stressin' with me?"

"Because I'm sick of your damn attitude."

"Then walk on, baby boy," Kyuubi said bitterly. "I'm not makin' you talk to me. Peace. Poof, bye, bye!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you, man? Are you jealous?"

Kyuubi's eyes dropped several shades of green,

"Is that it?" Kiba said, totally missing the looming danger. "You're pissed because I was gonna fuck her? Oh wow, you're such a child. I can't hang around all the time messin' with you. I have a life. Seriously, you're actin' like you're my boyfriend!"

"So then," Kyuubi's voice was deep as outer space. "I'm gonna ask you again. Why the fuck are you standing here stressin' with me?"

Kiba's answer took longer to come.

"Because—"

"Because I'm not fawnin' over you when you want? Because I'm not playin' with you? Or because I'm finally doin' what you want and not givin' a shit?"

There was no answer this time. Kiba only stared, lips thinly zipped shut. Kyuubi's grin curled back off his fangs, glistening under the street lights. He cocked his head to the side, "That's what I thought. Get the fuck outta my way." He moved around.

Kyuubi walked for five maybe seven minutes before he realized that there wasn't an echo of steps following behind. He glanced over his shoulder. Kiba was in the same spot he left him, sitting on the edge of the curb, thumbing his cap. His face was wiped clean of his anger, now smudged with confusion, anxiety and a scent that burned the inside of Kyuubi's nose. "Damn," the fox grumbled, combing his fingers through his head. He stole another glance, and sighed. Kyuubi chose the closest shadow to crouch in and waited.

Kyuubi was pissed off. Couldn't explain why, but knew he was.

That didn't mean he'd leave Kiba out here alone.

He'd gnaw off his left leg before that happened.

They were there for majority of the night until Kiba stood and walked down the path, home. Kyuubi stayed close behind, neither saying a word the entire time.

* * *

Everyone fell into an awkward routine when they arrived home. The air lost its carefreeness, the usual sounds of batter coming from across the room or anything. It stayed that way for five straight days, silent as a funeral home. Kyuubi was gone most of the time, he hardly stayed indoors, especially at night.

Naruto should've counted his blessings that Sasuke wasn't as closed off, but he was distant. He wasn't sleeping as much either, staying up at night and napping during the day. Most of his time was spent staring out the windows or hanging around the railing outside, staring at the night sky. That was just it; he only seemed to do it at night.

Naruto would ask what it was the Cat Beast was seeing and would only receive a shrug or grunt for an answer. Kiba wasn't himself either. The blond was worried for all of his roommates, both human and non.

On a Thursday evening, Naruto arrived home late from work with his textbooks. When he came in, it was to find Sasuke perched against the wall, deeply morph into the darkness. The light switch was off; the moon illuminated the living room, piece by piece, only catching the long sleek tail. He was wearing a button up lack shirt, unbuttoned from the neck to the middle of his chest, revealing a white undershirt. His dark grey jeans struggled to stay fastened around his narrow hips, and gave a clear view of some Fruit of the Loon red boxer briefs.

Naruto's mouth dried, and licking them might as well been light rubbing sandpaper to dirt.

"You're late," Sasuke softly accused, though his gaze remained out the window. "What kept you?"

Naruto dragged his eyes away before they dared to stare too long, "I had to work overtime." He dumped his stuff on the dinner table and pulled out a chair. "You hungry? I bought some leftovers from the party."

"Already ate."

"Oh," Naruto played around with his book bag strap, then said, "Lemme know if you need something."

"Will do."

Ok, fair enough. Naruto eased into one of the chairs and started on his homework. He figured he could sneak in completing two assignments now and waking up early in the morning to finish the rest. It'd have to only be two assignments for now because he was likely to fall asleep at the table and that was a crook he didn't need in his neck—

A strong hand cupped behind his neck like a cold compress, startling a squeak out of Naruto. His lips opened to cuss out Sasuke for scaring him, but lost track of each word when the cat leaned back his shoulder, smelling every bit as good as a basket of fruit. That was one of Naruto's body washes. It smelled much better on Sasuke then on him.

"This is your homework," Sasuke stated, sniffing the books and paper.

"Yeah," Naruto swallowed.

"It looks boring."

"It is, but it's gotta be done," Naruto thought a moment, and then an idea came to mind. "Wanna help?"

Sasuke frowned, "I doubt I'll be much help."

"It'll be easy. You can quiz me."

"Quiz you?"

"Yeah, quiz me," Chuckled Naruto. He pushed his Political textbook to the side for Sasuke's assessment. "See here?" Naruto pointed to several large blocky patterns with small printed words. "Just read these off questions to me and you tell me if I got 'em right."

Something happened in those eyes Naruto recognized once upon a time; the same look Sasuke had when he had to help him eat before. It flashed and narrowed as Sasuke's dilated. The rise and fall of his shoulders dipped lower and lower as his eyes skated across the pages like they were Latin. The Cat Beast's mouth balled, his clawed fingers clinched the edge of the book, threatening to rip it apart. Sasuke's body tensed, and then lost every bit of its fight as he slid the book back in front of Naruto. He turned his head away stiffly, pride cracking like an aged sidewalk.

Naruto couldn't help it. His lips softly spread, "Its ok Sasuke."

"It's embarrassing," Sasuke softly hissed.

"No its not," Naruto assured. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of folks can't read," He mentally kicked his own ass when Sasuke flinched. Naruto sighed, pulling a chair close and carefully pulled Sasuke down next to him. "I'll help you learn."

"I don't want help."

"I don't give a damn what you want," Naruto said sassily and playfully. "It'll be fun. Please?"

Sasuke hesitated, for the first time, letting a warm blush tint his cheeks. He glanced over at Naruto, whose eyes took on the softest blue shade. It was a look just for him; a bright oceanic gaze just like Minato's.

How could he say no?

Sasuke sighed and leaned in, "Alright."

* * *

**TBC:** **~Sips orange juice and pulls up next blank document to work on next chapter~**


	12. Warm and Inviting

**Author's Rant:** I'm so glad to be back in the swing of this story. Enjoy guys!

* * *

**Warm and Inviting**

* * *

Naruto hadn't found the school's library half as interesting as he has in the last three weeks. Every day after classes he ventured inside the quiet lounge, waving to a few classmates and going to the section strictly for premature readers. This portion was usually restricted off for students seeking education degrees for young children, but after pulling some strings and having Professor Hidan back him up, Naruto was allowed to check out the books.

Of course, this was as long as he returned them on time and made sure they were well taken care of.

Today, Naruto was returning three easy to read books on the importance of sea creatures, vegetables and stars. Two of them, had to be re-checked out because Sasuke had grown a fondness for learning about stars and sea animals. Naruto learned on the first week while showing the Cat Beast how to enunciate the words, that when Sasuke learned how to match the pictures to the word, how more intriguing the subject was.

It was helpful, in a way. Naruto was able to gain a way of getting close to Sasuke without overstepping his boundaries. It was learning without learning of the Cat Beast's past. For example, why couldn't he read? At his age, which could easily be twenty four or twenty five, he should've been learned. Naruto had heard of illiterate adults but had never encountered one. It was why he was able to convince Sasuke that there wasn't anything wrong with not being able to know how to read. In the beginning, it'd been difficult trying to get Sasuke into the lessons. He was stubborn, easily frustrated and very embarrassed when Naruto had to sound out the words for him when he couldn't figure it out on his own.

"Back again Naruto?" TenTen winked. She was another connection within the librarian, working as assistant to earn extra money for tuition. "I never would've guessed you like reading."

"Yeah, it's," Naruto scratched behind his head and shrugged, "A new hobby. I didn't think it'd help time slip by."

TenTen clicked the three books in and did the recording of the two Naruto wanted. "You checked out these twice. I'd recommend the National Geographic: Marine Life and Whales for All. They're quick and have plenty of pictures. The illustrations are awesome."

That sounded good. Sasuke would love those, "Anything on fish? Something easy to read."

"Well," TenTen reached behind her to a stack of recently checked in books, leafing through the pile until she retrieved a medium thick book with good pages but a worn cover. "We're actually about to dispose of these. You can have this one. It's going to be scrapped anyway."

Naruto took the book and flipped through the sheets, eyes growing wider and smile getting brighter. Yes this was perfect. The depictions of sea mammals, various species of fish and bubble facts were amazing. Sasuke could get lost in these for hours, "I'll take it." He took it as well as the other two he wanted and waved good bye to TenTen before heading off into the horde of students.

The campus bell had just rung, signaling the change of classes. There were freshman everywhere, some casually talking to one another, some asking for directions and some just taking it easy in the spacious lounge rooms littered in the halls. Study groups were tucked in corners like secret agents, others were risking being late by taking a nap on the red velvet armchairs and couches and Naruto had to keep from bumping into a student of every kind while he edged to the parking lot.

Stupid him didn't think to distinguish what time it was because had Naruto known, he would've thought better of taking this route. The halls were packed from wall to wall, elbow to elbow, chest to back with students. It was a tide. Naruto was literally being bulldozed through the crowds like a herded cow.

Near the end of the hall was a set of red metal double doors. They were used to get to either the top or bottom of the school, but rarely the latter. As soon as he reached it, he and four others sprinted inside, the four going up and him going down.

When Naruto burst into freedom, he suddenly ran into a strange face and managed to twirl around without bumping into the guy, "Sorry about that!" He called over his shoulder.

The person was, for a lack of better terms, pissed off for nearly getting knocked over but carried on. Naruto should've done the same but couldn't stop staring at this freak of nature person. They were wearing a large brown leather—seriously; forget the fact that's about ninety eight degrees today—and a matching ten galleon hat to boot. He could've been a special kid or something. There was a large lump beneath the jacket that could suggest a hunchback.

Oh well. Naruto straightened his books and hurried off to his car.

Thank God, it was finally fixed so he could get from point A to point B without harassing Kiba or bumming a ride from Professor Hidan. The last one was a blessing. Naruto would cut off his left nut before he was reduced to saddling up inside Hidan's raggedy ass station wagon.

If Naruto hadn't been sliding into his 2004 Kia Optima, he would've noticed that same stranger from before approaching his car. And he would've countered when his car door was nearly slammed his arm. Naruto's cry came out sputtered, stunned and angered. His shoulder stung like hell so suddenly. The force used to close his door was monstrous.

"What the hell, ya asshole?!" He shouted through the door.

Naruto blinked.

There was no one there. His blue eyes narrowed suspiciously as he kicked open the door and circled around, believing the coward was trying to hide away from this ass whooping. "Scary ass," Naruto grumbled edgily. The guy better pray he wasn't around. Naruto's arm and shoulder were throbbing something serious. He'd almost think the person wanted to break it.

Naruto cradled the joint under his palm, adding pressure. "Shit," it might be dislocated. Damn. And it hurt like hell. What had been that guy's problem? Naruto shook his head and went back inside his car after giving the whole parking lot a decent sweep and around his car and under it. He hoped to God he saw the bastard again.

Naruto crunk up his car and went home. Hopefully Kiba was home. Not that Naruto was looking forward to this, but Kiba had a thing for fixing broken bones and reattaching them, since he'd experienced it enough in his time in high school as a Left Tackle football player.

_Please let Kiba be home._

* * *

"S-s-see, D-dick run. See J-j-jane run. Run. Run. Run."

Sasuke flipped the page, dark eyes filtering through the words he'd learned on site, versus those brand new to him. Reading, in a way, opened his eyes to newer aspects of understanding. He knew the words. It was just different actually seeing them in print. He'd woken up early this morning when Naruto left.

It was quieter in the house without him and especially without his partner, Kyuubi. The Fox Beast hadn't been himself lately. Sasuke could guess it was because of that Kiba human, whom hadn't been acting any better. The two hardly talked, whenever they happened to bump into one another, they might as well had hit the walls.

Neither one was home. Sasuke had no idea where the human was but Kyuubi he knew was scouting the city. After what they saw the night at the Tiki Hut, both have been on alert. Nothing's happened yet, though there have been a few more sightings of the creature in the sky. Speaking of which, Sasuke shut his book and went to look out the window.

The sky was clear, brilliant with sunshine and breezy. The balcony through the sliding glass door was pushed to the side and Sasuke walked out, directly into the sunbeam. Every stick of fur stood on end and relaxed loosely beneath his blue wife beater and white jersey shorts. His padded feet were left bare to the concrete floor. Sasuke hoped on the edge and sat gap legged, ears twitching at the slightest sound.

It was . . . peaceful out here. Truly, when could Sasuke remember the days he'd had this bunch sun, this much freedom and quiet. Those nights on Coney amounted to too many cold, bloody evenings. Hotels made of cage bars, the screams of adoring fans out for his death or another's, and the lifeless drones thrown in the midst without a clue of what came next.

Sasuke's pupils dilated and expanded. "Damn," it hurt to think about. His head went rapid for an instant, and then came back. Sasuke chewed his lips until his fangs shrunk back; too many thoughts of blood, of death, of the deadly rewards, and countless prizes.

"Sasuke, get down will ya?"

Sasuke glanced down between his legs. Naruto was just getting out of his car, holding his books in his . . . in his right arm. Sasuke frowned at that. Naruto was left handed. And what was that smell?

Naruto stepped forward, annoyed, "Come on Sasuke. What if someone sees you? You wanna be dissected on somebody's table?"

"No one's around."

"I do have neighbors, smart mouth," Naruto chuckled and winched when he hiked his book bag up. "You hungry? I can cook some fish."

"I'll pass. . ." Sasuke's ears flattened, "What happened to you?" Was his sudden question.

Naruto tilted his head to the side, confused, "Uh, nothing." He said up. "Go back in, I'm coming up. Is Kiba here?"

"No," Instead of doing what he was asked, Sasuke did the unthinkable by leaping from the three story height and landing airlessly by Naruto's side.

Naruto was spooked stupid, but then again had to remember this person was far from normal. And from the way Sasuke was sniffing around his body strangely and growling under his breath, it only added evidence to the contrary. The blond was getting a little paranoid when Sasuke took a particular interest in his shoulder and when he reached out to touch it, Naruto flinched away. "Don't its sore."

Sasuke wasn't convinced, if the dark tone in his voice was any indication. "What happened? How did you hurt your arm?"

"It's fine, some dumbass just went ape shit and slammed the door on my arm," Naruto jolted from head to toe when said arm was tenderly grabbed. Sasuke's claws eased Naruto's sleeve up, and stared. The focus was uncanny, almost like the Cat Beast could see the detached bone joints. Naruto felt an immediate thrill tingle straight through to his gut, where it tightened. Sasuke's whole presence was as hot as today's afternoon.

Sasuke rose up where he'd been bent down to study Naruto's arm, looked the blond directly in the eye and frowned slightly, making the action twice as poison as normal. "What did he look like?"

There was, there was that look again. The tingle in Naruto's stomach became a heated throb. He was startled to realize that he was regarding the Cat Beast with the same sexual flare as that night on the balcony, but with a more altered buzz. Naruto glanced down to the ground and sighed, "I don't know. If I did, I would've taken his ass out—Ow, don't touch it so hard. I gotta get Kiba to fix it."

"Where did this happen?"

"At school. Not like it matters. The guy's long ago."

"His scent is on you. I can track his ass down."

"So what," Naruto pulled his arm free and started for the stairs. "I said I wasn't worried about it."

"You should be. He could've hurt you."

Naruto snorted over his shoulder with an eye roll, "Like you care."

Sasuke paused at the base of the stairs. What was with that attitude? "Are you alright?"

"I'm tired." They made it to the front door in silence after that exchange. Sasuke stood close to Naruto, occasionally switching his head from side to side, looking for that unknown attacker.

When Naruto opened the front door, Sasuke renewed his interrogation, "Where were you in the parking lot? Did you notice him coming? What was he wearing?"

"I don't know," Naruto sourly snapped. "I told you if I found him again, I'd take care of it."

"What's with the attitude?"

"I don't have one," Naruto slammed the books with extra force on the table, rattling the legs to the floor. How could he admit for an instant, he'd thought Sasuke was asking because he was concerned for him. Naruto knew that was a lie. That look from before wasn't about him. It was this Minato person. Whoever the hell _he_ was. And damn he hated this awkward green monster thing bubbling in his chest.

Sasuke could act like an innocent moron all he wanted, but Naruto could read him. If he hadn't made it so painfully fucking clear three weeks ago, Naruto wouldn't have been able to recognize it on the stop. He'd told himself he could deal with it. He _had_ been since he learned hadn't he? It's just, it's just unfair. Naruto was the one here taking care of Sasuke. Shouldn't he be entitled to a little bit of the Cat Beast's attention?

Whoa. Naruto shook his head. Oh man that thought process was heading in the wrong direction. Oh he wasn't even going to touch that. Naruto straightened his back and went about setting out the library books and his textbooks. Sasuke was already sitting down at the table, nose buried in the book though his brow was scrunched so tight, it looked sown together.

Naruto took the chair next to him and spread out the books.

"Did you finish reading this one?"

Sasuke turned his head like he knew Naruto's secret but pretended to play along. "No, I'm still reading it."

"Alright, what page are you on?" Sasuke held the saved page out. Naruto took it with one hand and placed it down to flip through. "Let's try this page. We'll start here."

He pointed and Sasuke leaned in to see, "Jane l-l-licks."

Naruto snickered, "Likes."

"Jane likes Dick. Dick likes Jane."

"Good, very good. Let's try here." Naruto gasped and clinched his arm. "Sorry, read this."

"Let me check your arm."

"That's not what it says."

"Naruto—"

"Sasuke, I'm fine, alright? Damn," Naruto flinches weren't hidden as well as he'd hoped. Sasuke would narrow his eyes every time Naruto made the wrong move and accidentally tugged at his limp arm.

The final straw was drawn when Naruto said he'd go get them some juice and nearly dropped the jug of strawberry juice. Sasuke caught it half way to the ground and placed it on the counter. "Let me fix it," He offered and went blank when Naruto inched away.

"I got it. Kiba can do it when he gets home," Naruto assured, cupping his shoulder.

"There's no telling how long that might be. Just let me fix it. I've done this before."

"It's ok."

"No it isn't," When Sasuke reached out, Naruto backed away, bumping into the counter and winching until tears pearled in the corner of his eyes. It was nearly Sasuke's undoing, but he did what he had too. Without so much as a warning, Sasuke scooped Naruto up and carried him down the hall to his main bedroom.

Naruto wasn't going to go down without a fight. "Sasuke cut it out! Leave me alone, I said I was fine!"

"Hold still before I drop you!"

"Get the hell off me!" Naruto scrambled and kicked until Sasuke locked his legs and arms between his thighs.

Naruto wedged his right arm free and held the heel of it under Sasuke's chin. Sasuke countered by chopping the dip in the blonde's elbow and when he recaptured the arm, secured it there, Sasuke's fingers nimbly fastened around Naruto's shoulder and arm joint, flexing and accessing the damage beneath.

Naruto froze when the space between was pressed. Sasuke did too. His eyes gave Naruto the warning that whether or not he liked it, it was going to be done, "You'll let me?" He wouldn't force the blond into anything if he truly wasn't up for it. But it had to be fixed; otherwise Naruto was going to be in for a long wait. There was no telling how long it'd be before Kiba came home.

Naruto's grimly thinned, "You sure you know what you're doing?"

Sasuke nodded from above, chest heaving an falling, "I've done it to Kyuubi and myself many times."

"Why?" Naruto wondered aloud, and wished he hadn't when the chill began to develop in Sasuke's eyes.

"I'll tell you later," Sasuke said at last, twisting and rolling Naruto's shoulder. "Ready?"

"No."

Sasuke frowned down, but the decision was already made. Naruto wiggled and dug his fingers deep into Sasuke's ankles, the closest supports he could grab. Sasuke enfolded his fingers, claws nicking under Naruto's armpit.

"On three."

"On three."

"One, two, three," Sasuke's mouth curved inward, and then he pushed and locked the bones together. Naruto bit back the howl into his teeth so hard, the scent of blood immediately whiffed into Sasuke's nostrils. It was a salty, metallic smell he could taste on his tongue. Very rich. His nostrils flared.

Naruto's face was drained, his agape mouth gasping painful pants. Sasuke sat back and stared. The room was a shadowy contrast from the beams of sunshine and occasional shade produced. His ears were picking up every subtle sound breezing through Naruto's lips. They were soft, and yet harsh from the pain. He refused to give into the agonizing burn.

Sasuke's senses tingled, as did the tips of his fingers which glided from his shoulders and to the center. Naruto's neck was in his grasp. It was how fragile this human was. Sasuke could so easily rip his throat open. He could so easily kill him. Yet Naruto didn't reflect an ounce of fear. No shred of apprehension towards Sasuke.

He trusted him.

Sasuke deemed that a blessing as well as a curse; the worst being on Naruto. He knew it was risky, but he couldn't help wanting to know. Was this scent he was giving off really subtle? Did it really mean he trusted Sasuke? The Cat Beast tested that scent by leaning forward, fingers digging in the grooves of Naruto's ribcage. He moved them along the bumpy sides, softly inhaling and sniffing. His legs remained fastened tight on Naruto's waist as his torso hovered forward.

Then, he really dared his next move. Sasuke could feel every pulse of Naruto's heart rate and angled his eyes up to see.

Naruto's face was less pained and more, more intrigued. The color of his eyes was glossed a vibrate cobalt beneath the sunlight. The little pink tip in his mouth was visible like a chewable toy. Sasuke stared at it more than the eyes that usually held him captive. Gravity seemed to enact an unknowing pull because before Sasuke realized it, he was pressed, ankle to chest against Naruto's body, hands still framed around his throat.

That throat.

Sasuke licked his lips, "Damn."

And then it suddenly fell on Naruto's conscious what kind of position they were in, ears and face burning like a sunburn. If he wanted to keep face, he was going to need to do something soon. He shifted under Sasuke's body, but that did the situation no good. It brought the outline of their crotches a mere centimeter from brushing.

Naruto's fingers lined up on Sasuke's sides, after he gained some feeling back in his arm, and pressed up, though with not as much force as he'd hoped. Sasuke barely budged. His body was vibrating like a car motor, the sound slowly building in audio and in feel. Before the blond knew what was happening, his fingers were on their own trip, massaging and squeezing Sasuke's stomach, his sides and his hips. The caresses were slow and careful, as if the wrong move could destroy this moment.

The wandering tips lead to Sasuke's purr and his forehead nuzzling in the dip of Naruto's collarbone and neck. His lips pressed directly on his salty skin, where sweat and grit collected from the day outdoors. Sea salt too. Sasuke tasted the ocean and smelled the ocean life. His breath rolled in throes like the roar of a humid fire.

"You smell so good," Sasuke gently mumbled against his skin. "I like it. I could eat you alive," His fangs said to try a taste and began nibbling the thickest pieces.

He could eat him alive? Oh Christ. Naruto bucked his hips, and steadied himself when a heavy lump puzzled onto his pelvis. That was, that really was Sasuke's . . . yeah. The nibbling became liquid smooth, no more teeth, only lips. And it felt like Naruto was only cloud ninety nine, and with it, went his common sense.

"Why won't you then?"

Sasuke's body stiffened, than melted like butter. His head turned, and Naruto angled his so that all he could see was pale skin, ebony black eyes and dark hair. His breathing became rougher, and his eyes glistened and turned to thin slits. "Don't tempt me, kid. You're not ready."

"You're scared."

"Am I?" Eat him no, Sasuke would devour him. "Come 'mere."

Before Naruto could ask what was wrong, Sasuke fully anchored his head around and pressed his lips forward. Naruto couldn't have though this was happening in real life, because how long had he been curious, wondering, secretly wishing for this to happen? Breathing was out of the question because it might wake him up from this dream.

Those soft lips demanded attention and soon Naruto caved in, eyes slipping shut. Sasuke's rough, wet tongue traced the outer rim of Naruto's mouth and flicked in and out the tiny opening. At last reality set in like the molten fire pooling in the pit of Naruto's stomach. The air that held in Naruto's chest rushed forth through his nose. He gave free reign to the probing tongue and let it enter. The surface was different, like licking a bumpy, moist ground. It was thick and flat, coiling and flicking against Naruto's as if finding a new meal to savor. The curious taps became aggression and determined so suddenly Naruto's startled grunt, contagiously caused a long purr from Sasuke's throat.

Naruto gripped Sasuke's shirt and pulled him tight against his body, wanting no inch between them. There wasn't a sound in the room, save for the slurry wet sounds from their kisses. Sasuke would lean in to kiss, pull away and kiss some more. Naruto hadn't ever dreamed he'd meet someone who could kiss this well, but damn, he was wrong. Sasuke could kiss like no one. Suigetsu couldn't even compare. The way Sasuke was kissing him was like he was pouring his all into it. There was passion, aggression and so much conspired need. And there was that heavy chuck of meat down below grinding its grit into Naruto's crotch.

His hands left the safety of Sasuke's sides and dared to venture other places. One of the blonde's hands journeyed down, down, down to a place hard and round and cupped it. His other up traveled up to the back of Sasuke's neck and went about leaf through the strips of black hair. Sasuke's purrs evaporated into stormy groans. Sasuke's rolling grind drove Naruto an inch up the bed, the friction was positively electric.

The taste of him was driving Naruto mad. His tongue tried to wound itself around the animalistic pad and wring it of every flavor inside. Sasuke's hands dug under Naruto's body and wrapped tight, holding him close and suddenly flipped them around. It separated them for only a moment and Sasuke wouldn't have any of that. He quickly cupped Naruto's face and brought it down to continue their kiss.

A slither of blue peeked and somewhat convinced a little of black to appear. The colors blended into midnight madness. Sasuke's eyes began to glow like comets in the middle of a cloudless night. Sasuke's mouth was more enticing than Naruto had anticipated, more passionate than he could ever imagine, and Naruto fell over him, sprawling across him, his arms losing the ability to balance him. God, it was so good, the way Sasuke kissed, the way he touched Naruto's body, his hands in his blond hair, and his tongue licking deeper and deeper.

Naruto couldn't take much more and broke away the kiss to inhale.

But Sasuke wasn't done. When Naruto tore his mouth away, Sasuke rose and went with him, tasting, testing and sucking on Naruto's bottom lip.

Naruto gasped and broke the kiss again even as his hips jerked.

"Sasuke," he said hoarsely.

"Hmm mmm," the Cat Beast grunted. "Tastes so good."

The kiss was more like foreplay. They stopped again just to catch their breath, but it was maybe a lost cause. They were gasping and it sounded loud in the medium bedroom. Naruto took a break to plant kisses across Sasuke's jaw and neck, to nose at the short, soft hairs near his ear, to trace his tongue along his triangle ears. Sasuke smelled like body wash and musk, like the clean and good kind and Naruto loved how it tasted. He came back to kiss him again, heads bucking and twisting to get more.

This time when the kiss drew to an end, Sasuke gave one last lingering slide of his tongue because kissing this boy any longer was likely to send him into cardiac arrest. It was unreal. He hadn't thought it'd go that far. How many before had Sasuke kissed, but none could have his blood boiling to the brink of scorching. Sasuke rested forehead against Naruto's shoulder, lips still pressing on and off his jugular.

Naruto took a deep breath, licked his lips nervously, and waited. This was the part that brought problems and he was expecting them to come. Even when Sasuke's arms came out and crushed Naruto to his chest, the blond couldn't help thinking something was amiss. Sasuke's hand cupped the back of his head and started stroking through the gold spikes. He was cradling him, Naruto discovered. Like . . . like he adored him.

Sasuke caught Naruto's hand, the one with the hurt shoulder, and brought it to his lips to kiss reverently. He rubbed the kissed skin to his cheek and sighed long, "Shit Naruto," the accented rumble of his name echoed out and in Sasuke's chest. "You do crazy things to me."

"You do the same to me," Naruto replied back. He thought a moment, ear suction cupped to Sasuke's chest, hearing every thump of his heart. "Can I ask you something?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. He'd gone quiet for so long Naruto had thought he'd fallen a sleep until he answered, "Yeah."

Naruto's fingers drummed over Sasuke's chest, "Who's . . ." He opened and closed his mouth, a little worried that if he asked it might break the spell between them. "Why'd you kiss me?"

Sasuke chuckled, "That wasn't what you were going to ask." He popped Naruto's back gently and kissed his hand again. "Because I wanted to know what drew me to you. You're like a magnet. I wanted to figure it out, but I guess kissing you only made it worse." Sasuke's grip tightened around Naruto's waist and he urged the blond up to stare into his face. "You're in my system no matter what now. I can't get you out."

Sasuke's next kiss came sweeter, and shorter, too short for Naruto. "You're. . ." Naruto sighed and shook his head, returning back to lie on Sasuke's chest. "I don't know what you're doing to me either, Sasuke. I don't know if I like it. . ."

The grip loosened, "Why?"

Naruto paused, chewed his bottom lip then braved it out, "Because I don't wanna get involved with someone he's already got somebody else on his mind. I don't want to substitute for this Minato guy. You keep comparing me to him." He took a deep breath and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Sasuke's eyes were still closed. If it weren't for his thumb tracing Naruto's palm, he'd though the beast was sleeping.

"He's . . . different from you. You two can't compare. Minato and me, we got this bond. Its . . . special." Here, Sasuke opened his eyes and a faraway expression appeared in his face. "But you have an advantage."

"How's that?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and kissed the top of Naruto's head, "I won't fail you like I did him."

Naruto lifted his head, bewildered. Sasuke wouldn't look at him this time. Maybe because he wasn't really here. He was gone again, taken to another time in the past where he and this Minato were together. Naruto wanted to believe it was over between them, but he'd be a fool to think differently. Minato just had a hold of Sasuke's spirit in a way that Naruto never could. He wanted so bad to end this before it went too deep.

But his mind got confused with his heart because it asked, "Where is he now?"

Sasuke went quiet, then, "Minato died eight years ago. I lost him. . . I couldn't save him."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I should've let it go years before," Sasuke tightened his grip on Naruto's waist and tugged him up, cupping the blonde's face into the crook of his neck. His voice was drifting, "I can move on, maybe, but forgetting him will be hard . . . how many people can really forget their first born?"

First . . . first born.

First born.

Minato was his . . . damn . . . and he'd been jealous . . . of a dead child . . . his son. . .

Naruto hadn't known.

Naruto closed his eyes tight and dug his face deep against Sasuke's neck. The Cat Beast had long since fallen asleep when Naruto said in the quiet, "Oh Sasuke . . ." if he'd lost his child. . . what else has this guy been through?

Naruto could only wonder.

* * *

Kyuubi stayed crouched behind a car, peeking around when Kiba came out of the Skating Rink. It'd become his new mission. They weren't talking, so what, he didn't give a damn, but Kiba was . . . well damn Kyuubi just didn't want anything bad to happen to him. After all he's only human and anything could happen.

He maintained the usual distance, about a few meters back, clothed in dark clothes and a hat to stuff all of his read hair in. Wearing these jeans though were killer on his tail and even worst for his legs because they were brand new and not yet worn down to bent and pounce.

It was enough though, just to keep an eye on the human until he made it home. All the people around were potential enemies even if Kiba was comfortable with the area to walk home in the dark. Kyuubi couldn't explain it, though his instincts couldn't have made it any clearer as why he wanted to keep Kiba safe.

Kyuubi just didn't want it to be true.

Because it'd make him weak.

That's what Kiba was doing it seemed.

Making him weaker. So very weak.

Perhaps that was why Kyuubi didn't smell the enemy soaring above, or that he was being watched from all angles.

* * *

**TBC: Stay tuned ^_^**


	13. Anxiety Grows

**Author's Rant:** I want to clear something up for you babes and babycakes. Minato and Naruto aren't related here. Sorry, that would've been an awesome twist, but I got enough of those in this story to make microbraids. Is this Mpreg? Nope. Enjoy ^_^.

_~side note~ sorry babycakes. no time to give a decent proofread. I'm heading off for a while, but I hope you still enjoy the chapter._

* * *

**Anxiety Grows**

* * *

Cooking's never been his forte. Hunting, sure, running, yeah, fighting, better believe it. But cooking? It was on a whole other level of complicated, especially considering he had to do it on his own. No one was in the house today. Naruto had to go to school, it was Sasuke's turn to scout out the area and Kiba . . . shit, Kyuubi wasn't even going to stoop that low. He'd go hungry before begging that spoiled ass human to do anything for him.

Kyuubi wished he could push his damn pride aside just this once, because at this rate the apartment complex was facing internal damage. The knobs on the stove were so confusing. He could read them—a little bit—but the numbers didn't make since. He didn't know how to count pass five. That's the dumb part. Sasuke could count at least up to twenty. Kyuubi's brain melted if he even tried.

Let's see, where was he? This was a big black stove, versus big ole him. There was this big knob and three smaller ones. None of them made sense? Which one cooked meat? Kyuubi kneeled down to the floor and opened the door part that lead into the square compartment. Kyuubi had seen Naruto pull fish out of this thing a lots of times. He'd seen the dipshit, Kiba, produce steaks for everyone when he was in a good mood. So did Kyuubi have to wait?

Well, he'd tried that for as long as the short hand had been on the one-zero and then it went to one-one. Kyuubi would go hunt, but he had to watch the home. That was his duty today, keeping an eye on his friend's domain until the owners got back. All this waiting was going to give him stomach cramps. He would eat the meat raw but it taste better with the sprinkled orange stuff and thick yellow gunk sizzling on top until it melted.

"Fuck it," Kyuubi stood up and reached across the stove to turn them all. If he broke, he'll try to fix it. Each button clicked when he gave it a turn. Now that much he did remember and leaned forward to see if he was missing anything.

He was deeply entranced with the lights blinking on, that the feel of heat accelerating by degrees didn't sink in until the palms of his hands stung like the worst kind of pain he'd ever felt. "Fuck!" Kyuubi snatched away from the burner surface, fanning his hands from side to side. "Shit, shit, shit." This really hurt. The pain roared and throbbed like a caged animal under his skin.

Kyuubi hurried and crouched in a corner, down to the balls of his heels and flipped his palms around. The skin was bubbling into blisters, getting red as spilled wine. Sometimes he hated acting before thinking. The Fox Beast was lucky to get away with scrapes this time around. Had he been so careless on Coney Island that would've been his ass.

Kyuubi sat chilled for a moment, studying the swelling on his palms. He switched his green eyes from side to side unsure, which to treat first, then went with his dominate hand and stuck out his tongue. Licking seemed to only produce a worse sting. Of all the injuries he'd obtained in his life, being burned was the newest on the list and it lingered worse than a stab wound or gunshot.

Kyuubi lost himself in licking and flinching anyway, unconsciously whimpering every time he did, so he hadn't heard the front door open or the clang of keys dropping on the table. The scent of burnt skin lean Kiba into the kitchen where he found Kyuubi hunkered down in the corner. It didn't take but three seconds to figure out what went down.

Kiba sighed, rolling his eyes. A couple of hours. He couldn't leave this idiot alone for a couple of hours? This was actually the first time he'd seen Kyuubi in the apartment in the last two weeks. The Fox Beast was always out in the middle of the night, doing God knows what. And when he finally decides to stay home, what does he do? Burn himself and leave the stove on too.

"Kyuubi," Kiba crouched down next to the beast. "Let me see." He reached out.

Kyuubi's whimpers dove low into his chest and came out marginally louder; almost like roaming thunder. His growls shook in Kiba's stomach so suddenly the boy fell on his butt, amazed. He recovered fast enough to narrow his eyes and snarled back. Kyuubi blinked, stunned, than slinked away, cradling his palms in his lap. "Get the hell away from me."

"You wanna sit in the corner whimpering like a kicked dog? How the hell did this happen?"

"None of your business. Get away from me."

"Or what? You'll claw me like Sasuke did Naruto?"

Kyuubi's snapped to the front so fast, it could've broken. He opened and closed his mouth, and soon his ears drooped, "Ya know about that, huh?"

"Yeah, Naruto's dumb as hell. He didn't think about me being the one to wash our clothes. I saw the blood and I saw his chest one night when he thought I was sleep." Kiba carefully kept his eyes on Kyuubi's face and reached out to take the scorched hands. Talking to the beast was probably going to be the smartest way to distract him.

"How'd you know I didn't do it?"

Kiba sucked his teeth, "'Cause as big as you are, you probably would've killed 'em. That and the depth weren't deep. Your frame's heavy, you could've caused some serious damage. With Sasuke, it's understandable. The cuts matched the pattern any normal cat would do."

Kyuubi tilted his head, intrigued. "How would you know?"

"It's what I'm goin' to school for," Kiba stood as one with Kyuubi, after a couple of tugs. "I wanna be a Veterinarian Technician and maybe I'll try out for Veterinarian later. Hold still, this is gonna hurt." Kiba lead him to the sink and positioned the beast's hand under the faucet. Getting the big lug by the sink was a little challenging. He was taller and bulker. Kiba had to squeeze himself between the Fox Beast and the sink in order to prepare the treatment.

However, with the position they were in, it put Kyuubi no less than an inch from Kiba's backside and the Fox Beast's long hair was draping in tendrils over Kiba's shoulder. It smelled, uniquely different than usual. Like Jasmine and Vanilla— Oh for the love of—Kiba sighed long and annoyed, "Dude, what did I say about using my shit?"

Kyuubi chuckled, a deep vibration that seeped through his chest into Kiba's stomach, "Well, I gotta smell clean. It smells better on me anyway."

"Whatever, dumbass." Kiba smirked as a warm relief blossomed in his chest. He was glad. The two of them were on talking terms again, though it was uncertain for how long. Kiba yelped suddenly when a long brushy—something—started to coil around his waist. He swirled around and looked up. Kyuubi was concentrating on their hands as if his tail was responsible for the invasive perversion.

Well, if he could ignore it, so could Kiba. After setting the water temperature to cool, Kiba fastened his fingers around Kyuubi's wrists. "Ready?"

"Will it hurt?"

"I said it would."

"Then talk to me so I won't notice," Kyuubi nuzzled his face in Kiba's hair, mindful and knowing of the way the brunet's body shook when he spoke. "I don't like thinkin' about pain."

"Uh, yeah, cool," Kiba visibly swallowed, trying his hardest to focus on the task at hand. "What did, uh, you wanna talk about?"

"Anything. It can be about you. I wanna know about Kiba."

Kiba shivered for every rippling boom gravitating don to his Reeboks. "There's not much to tell, really." He pushed Kyuubi's hands under the water and flinched in unison with the fox. "Sorry."

"S'cool," Kyuubi dipped his head and put his mouth right at Kiba's ear, making him shudder and sway on his feet. "That's bullshit by the way. Don't ya have family? What were you like as a kit?"

"Kit?" Kiba had to chuckle at that one. "I'm a baby fox now?"

Green eyes darkened and narrowed. Kyuubi's smile could slice bricks as an idea struck him and he leaned closer, "You can be. You can be _my _baby fox."

"Assumin' I'd want you to be my Daddy Fox," Kiba playfully sneered. "Quit messin' around."

Kyuubi nudged his chest inward, practically imprinting the outline of his muscles beneath his Henley shirt against Kiba's arm. Kiba shifted to the side and use his hands to tug down his skating rink polo. It felt tighter than usual today.

"Nah, I'm serious. I wanna know a lil' bout you."

"Why?"

"Partially because I'm in pain and I wanna know. I'm nosey like that. Besides I'm the patient. You're supposed to make sure I'm satisfied."

"Right," Kiba's shoulders deflated as he lifted his head and stared forward at the flowery wall paper, mind a million miles away. "Where to start? Well I grew up here. Naruto and I went to the same school. We got into fights a lot. I was a bad ass kid too. I always gave my ma and sister hell."

"I can believe that. You do it now."

Kiba shot a hellish look and Kyuubi promptly shut his mouth. "Anyway, you don't have to worry. I regretted it later."

"Why? Ya mama finally whooped your ass?"

"Nah . . . I lost my ma and sister when I was six. Somebody broke into my home, tryin' to rob us. I woke up when the guy burst in my ma's bedroom and started shootin'." Kiba reached under the sink for Naruto's first aid kit and kept talk, ignoring Kyuubi's sudden closeness to his face. "My sister came in the room and told me to hide under the bed. I didn't know what was goin' on. I just heard screamin' and noises and my sister, callin' my name." The mental image of that little boy running to his sister's aid would never leave Kiba.

A nose bucked against his temple. Kiba subconsciously reached up to stroke Kyuubi's hair and continued, "I came outta my room. I found my ma on the floor, shot to death. My sister. . . I couldn't help her. This guy wouldn't kill her right there. He was dragging her outta the house by her hands. She begged him to leave me alone when he came back to get me."

Kyuubi's entire body stiffened.

"He was huge, the biggest guy I'd ever seen. I don't remember everything that happened, except he grabbed my hair and my sister fought him off. I blacked out, but—I'm not sure if this was a dream, but I thought I saw him pick her up and jump in the air. . ." Kiba shook his head at the absurdity of that. "I woke up when the police came. There was so much blood on the floor. I saw my ma's body but my sis'? There was no way she could've survived. I saw the blood trail of when that guy dragged her out."

Kiba had since spread the necessary ointments and creams all over Kyuubi's palms, massaging as gently as he could until the white residue absorbed. He grinned, "I stayed with Naruto after that. His parents sort of adopted me, so we grew up like brothers. I'm always fussin' at 'em, making sure he gets home on time and I'll kick his ass if he worries me to death." He shrugged. "It's been that way since we were lil' kids. I think it has a lot to do with me losin' my family."

Kyuubi's chest swelled and deflated. He'd worked himself on Kiba's side, face loss in the bed of chocolate brown hair and the scent that came with it, "You didn't have to share that with me."

"I know," Kiba said, wrapping the gaze around each hand. "I dunno what it is with you. You just bring out the worst in me. You should be good to go." Kiba stepped back, the shade of his banes, keeping the sadness camouflaged. Kyuubi stared down at his hands, neatly wrapped up to his second finger joint. "Don't fuck up our stuff in here ok? Just ask if you want somebody to cook you food." Kiba snapped angrily and whirled on his heel to leave. He was angry with himself for letting it slip out and letting it get to him after all this time.

Kiba should've been over it by now. He shouldn't allowed the past to consume with grief . . . he shouldn't—he shouldn't. Fuck, it hurt so much.

Kyuubi growled and snaked his hand out to catch Kiba's shirt and yanked hard. Kiba slammed into to the fox's very firm, very solid, very warm chest. Kiba stumbled as he lost his balance and in the process ended up with both palms pressed flat against the fox's chest. Cinnamon eyes going saucer wide, he absently let his fingers trace the definition of Kyuubi's pectorals. His mind had gone empty, blank. Kyuubi's smell accompanied with his pure masculinity had Kiba guessing, wondering, and contemplating. His mouth went dry again and he tried to speak, but was pushed into a span of warm neck and collarbone.

Kyuubi's large hand cradled the back of Kiba's head, rubbing crooked circles under his shirt. On his bare skin, he could feel scars, small little scars probably obtained as a little boy on that night. Kyuubi soothingly touched those, for the loss of that little kid. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It ain't your fault. I just, I just wish," Kiba's hands dropped to tightly grasp Kyuubi's coat. His breaths came in shuddering intervals. "Fuck, sometimes I wish he'd taken me with her." He whispered, burrowing his face forward. "I wanted to die so much."

"Don't say that shit," That stunned Kyuubi more than anything to hear that. He'd—he'd lose his fucking mind if something happened to this fool. He squeezed the boy to his chest. Kiba let his breath go with a soft whoosh as fresh tears dribbled down his cheeks. Kyuubi's sigh lifted and dropped Kiba's body as he rested his chin on top of his head. "So help me, kid. I mean it. You say that shit again, I'll kick your ass."

Kiba only nodded against his shirt.

Without warning, something clicked in Kyuubi's brain like a light switch. His arms threatened to drop but as soon as they did, the loss of warmth enveloped him like a blizzard. He quickly grasped Kiba's body to him and looked over his head, growing frustrated by the second.

He was losing himself. Kyuubi knew it'd be a matter of time, but if he kept this up, he was surely to end up dead. Kyuubi had only caught the brief whiff of a foreign predator a split second. His fur bristled and he kept his tail securely wrapped around Kiba's waist as he edged them to the living room and sat as one. Both his green eyes narrowed at the balcony window.

There'd been someone there. A few moments ago. They'd been there a while.

And it'd been there for a long time. Kyuubi closed his eyes tight. That hadn't been Sasuke.

* * *

It was near midnight when Sasuke returned home. He'd dressed in a long black t-shirt, some gray pants and wore a black baseball cap to hide his ears. The atmosphere was dense, heavily intensified with dominance. His fur stood on end, from his ears to the sway of his tail. The tips of his claws retracted once he noticed Kyuubi sitting on the couch, cupping Kiba's sleeping body to his chest. The Fox Beast's green eyes were ominously glowing a frost green, as he rocked back and forth, long tail thumping the floor.

When he turned his illuminated gaze to Sasuke's crimson glow, his instincts lessened, though not by much.

"What happened?" Sasuke whispered in the dark, approaching.

Kyuubi shook his head, "He needed me, and I took care of him." He covered his eyes, mournfully. "I know what's going on now. Why I can't leave him alone. I-I thought I was just messin' around, ya know, jus fuckin' with him a little."

Sasuke silently allowed his friend to continue. It'd been a long time coming.

"I fuckin' claimed him. My body, my mind, my instincts, all of me—Christ, I fuckin' claimed this kid, a human!" Kyuubi rubbed over his eyes, the sting there unbearable and beyond aggravating. "No wonder I can't think straight around him. I can't do a damn thing."

Sasuke kneeled by his friend's knees and cupped it, "You saw it coming. You wouldn't have been able to stop it any better than me claiming Naruto."

"I hadn't realized it until today. My senses were numbed," Kyuubi cradled Kiba closer, burying his nose in his hair and inhaling deep and letting it free in a loud whoosh. "He's intoxicating the hell outta me too. The little dick."

Sasuke stood up and walked to the door. "I saw _him_ again. He came back alone. I bet he's the asshole who attacked Naruto in the parking lot before."

"Naruto was attacked?"

Sasuke faced him, "Yeah, I hadn't been sure of the smell but when I went to investigate it was all over the place. They know we're here." Sasuke placed his hand on the window, a reflection of himself deadly and calm reminding him of his old self. "We'll have to leave. They'll have to come with us then."

Kyuubi shook his head again, "They're not gonna want to."

"There isn't much choice. Both of them were seen associating with us. The Boss sent that hawk to track us down," Sasuke's hand slid away. "I didn't think they'd come this far."

"We got a price on our heads. We never finished our contracts."

"There's no deal after murder. The Boss went against his deal. He lied." Sasuke viciously hissed. "I'm done playin' lap dog. I'll be damned if I bring Naruto down with me."

"We gotta leave soon then," Kyuubi paused, and then said. "He knows where they live. I found ole dude's scent on the window this morning."

Sasuke froze, eyes wide, "How long had he been there?"

"An hour or longer."

"Damn it," Sasuke's fist struck the side of the wall. "If that's the case, why hasn't he tried to take us out?"

Kyuubi stood with Kiba in his arms and replaced the sleeping boy on the couch, covering him in the throw pillows. "Why else? He's stalking us. Hell, he probably knows we know he's out there," Kyuubi came to stand next to Sasuke. Together, they stared out the window, both pairs of eyes glowing evilly at the flying creatures in the sky. There were two this time. "He's biding his time. Either that or he's waiting to see what we do next." The Fox Beast gave his friend a hard look. "What do we do until then? We gotta take their safety into consideration now Sasuke. Its' not about us anymore. And if this fool goes stupid, I'm takin' care of what's mine first."

"I know . . . Naruto's my first priority," Sasuke said at last, folding his arms close to his chest, eyes peeled. "We'll kill first, questions don't matter. I don't need answers."

Kyuubi's wicked grin curved off his fangs, "I like that idea."

They stayed there, predator stalking predator, no one knowing truly knowing who'd be prey.

It wouldn't be long now. They'd find out soon enough.

Before Naruto opened his eyes into a new morning, the warm and scent of musk and outdoors warned him that he wasn't alone in bed. His whole body felt wrapped beneath a furry thermal, the kind made for cuddling against and receiving the same affection in return. He was going to have to get used to that sandpaper tongue gliding over his forehead too. He'd gotten in late from work last night.

Naruto found the beasts staring out the window, but didn't bother to ask. He'd been too keyed up from the hoopla of last night's partiers. All he did was take a shower, change into a t-shirt and some black pajama pants, and then fell asleep. It was a glorious rest and mainly because Naruto knew Sasuke must've come sometime later. He hadn't slept that well in ages.

Naruto slipped out of slumber and into the arms of Sasuke. He yawned, closed his eyes and said, "What time is it?"

"It's the middle of the afternoon."

Naruto gave that some consideration and the fact that Sasuke's voice didn't sound anywhere near as groggy as his, "You been up?"

"Yeah, couldn't sleep."

After another short yawn and smack to get rid of the morning taste, Naruto inched forward to hide his face in Sasuke's neck, "Go to sleep now." He mumbled and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's bicep, constricting his limp like he knew it forever.

"I'm not tired."

"You should be. I know you were out most of last night." Speaking of which, Naruto was about to be out in a couple more seconds.

"Naruto, wake up."

"Hmm why?"

"I want to ask you about us."

Naruto nuzzled into Sasuke's shoulder, sighing contently, "What about us?"

Hesitation, then, "Is it, I mean, how do you see us? Being together I mean." Sasuke threaded his fingers through Naruto's hair as if flipping the pages of a novel. He found his favorite center and pressed his nose in, inhaling the blonde's natural smell and everything about him.

"How else will I see it?" Naruto couldn't get much closer, though he tried. Their legs were already tangled and that didn't leave much crotch space, especially if Sasuke had anything to do with it. "I like what we got going. It's new." Naruto chuckled sleepily. "Even if it did happen kinda fast, I'm that kind of guy. Live for the moment, ya know?"

"I'd like that," Sasuke found Naruto's hand wedged between them and brought it to his mouth. One by one, each finger slipped between his lips, pleasure lassoing Naruto closer and closer to consciousness. "Live for a lot of moments together. We can be together all the time. Would you want that?" Sasuke added carefully.

Naruto nodded against his pillow, "Yeah, just me and you. We'd have to ditch the mutts though. Kiba and Kyuubi gotta get their own places." Naruto pulled his hand back, because if he let Sasuke have his way, he'd lick the skin off the bone. "Sasuke."

The Cat Beast quirked an eyebrow.

Naruto's eyes shifted, "Why ya never told me about what happened?" He swallowed as a pause to collect his wits and bravery since Naruto knew this was probably dangerous territory. "You hadn't said a word about Minato since last week."

"What's there to say?" Sasuke muttered. He clutched Naruto to his chest, waving his tail in the air as aimless as a leaf's drift in the wind. "I told you all there was to know. He was killed eight years ago."

"How was he killed?" Because directly asking seemed to be the best route to take. "Who killed him? Why? How old were you? You don't even look old enough to be a father."

Sasuke frowned over the blonde's brow, "I'm twenty three."

It didn't take Naruto long to do the calculations in his head and jerked so suddenly, his forehead bumped Sasuke's chin. Naruto sat up, stunned, "You were fifteen . . . you were so . . . so young."

"No, I was old enough then . . . and I'm not in the mood to talk about it."

"When will you be?"

"Soon," Sasuke flipped on his side. "Just not now."

Naruto chewed his bottom lip, "Sasuke." No answer. Naruto leaned over. The Cat Beast had fallen asleep after all.

That was . . . fine then. It gave Naruto some quiet time to properly react to the information he'd learned a week ago. At this point, he was grateful to have gotten this much out of the Cat Beast, because wring information out of him was no better than a dentist visit. Though . . . it was understandable. Naruto drew his knees up to his chest and crossed his arms over.

At fifteen, he and Kiba's concerns revolved around school work, dates, parties, fights and friends to worry about. For Sasuke, the idea of peer pressure was on a whole new level. He—he had a kid, a-a baby. And that was only the shell of the darkness.

That baby hadn't just died. He'd been killed. Someone killed Minato . . . when Sasuke had only been fifteen. Who could be so fucking heartless as to kill a baby? And why? What had Sasuke or the child done to deserve such a tragedy?

It was too much for any man to bear.

Naruto wondered, he wondered if Sasuke ever had a warmer disposure before. Like before he had a child, was his childhood endearing? Did he have family? What was his home like? Who was the person had the child with? Did he love that person? So . . . so many questions.

Naruto stretched out his legs and rolled over so that his arms could blanket's Sasuke's side with his stomach. The cat stirred, his eyes squirmed but otherwise, he didn't awaken. With some tugs and pull, Naruto managed to clasp Sasuke's torso to his chest and tucked Sasuke's head under his head.

If he wasn't awake before, Naruto was now. He let his fingers navigate through the oily hairs, pinching spikes between his thumb and index and at times, easing Sasuke back to sleep with nuzzles of his nose, a kiss on his forehead or a soft one to his lips.

It was funny, Naruto mused with a tiny smile. He could remember way back before when Sasuke didn't want him to touch him or when the beast had threatened his life on several occasions. No one would be able to convince Naruto this was the same guy if he hadn't witnessed it himself. Sasuke had changed.

Naruto could admit maybe that was his doing. It was unleashing this cosmic ooze in his stomach, very warmed and cozy like hot chocolate with marshmallows . . .

Oh. Oh damn. Naruto smiled. Now that was an idea. The blond bent his head back to check the position of the sun. It was too high right now, but later when it cooled down, maybe he convince Sasuke to go out for a while. Yeah, yeah that'd be perfect. They'd go to the beach, have fun and—Naruto rubbed his cheek softly on Sasuke's face—then they could relax and be completely into each other.

It'd give the beast something to think about.

Something other than his worries.

* * *

"I can't believe this motherfucker got me out here. Fuckin' sweatin' bullets and shit."

"Would you like some sandals for your feet, sir?"

"Get the fuck away from me!" Kyuubi rudely snapped at the fourth vendor trying to sell him merchandise since they came to the beach.

Naruto laughed behind his hand as he readjusted his surf suit. It was hotter than expected at four in the afternoon. It'd been hell finding the beast swim suits to fit their legs and tails. Kyuubi was wearing a simple white and red floral print shirt and black trucks—tucking in his long tail was hell— with a straw hat to cover his ears. Sasuke didn't complain out loud, but the grim expression on his face when Naruto bought him a dark blue sleeveless surf suit, said plenty. Kyuubi hadn't been for the trip to the beach and verbally made it none and even dared to use his intimidating size to win. He lost that fight as soon as Kiba started getting dressed and told him he could stay, but he needed the air. Naruto narrowly persuaded the beast that it was a trip they could all use. Convincing Sasuke? That took some real work. The Cat Beast was one hundred percent against going outside during the day. Naruto matched that argument word for word in the bedroom.

Now they were all here. Naruto grabbed a cooler full of sandwiches, fried chicken, and a couple of grilled steaks for Kyuubi, some grilled fish for Sasuke, a few juices and beer for Kiba. They drove Naruto's Kia because, leave it to Kiba to point out how long it'd been since he drove anywhere and it had more truck and head space then Kiba's Mustang.

"Stop scarin' people, Kyu," Kiba barked as he hooked their duffle bags over his shoulder. "You promised you'd behave."

Kyuubi looked offended, "You tell them that! I'm not trying to buy so shells, sandals, magic sand, none of that shit. All these motherfucka's wanna get eaten, that's what they want." The Fox Beast suddenly caught on something said. He grinned like it was his birthday, "So, I'm Kyu now huh?"

"I didn't say that." Kiba denied so smoothly, Kyuubi almost believed him.

But the Fox Beast knew better. They'd only been out here a few minutes. The sun didn't cause that red, "Uh huh, sure." He followed behind Kiba's back, carrying a large duffle bag of towels over his shoulders and tucking Kiba's red and white tipped Quiet Flight Platypus Surfboard.

Naruto could hear their arguing from back here. At least they were doing that much. Sasuke hadn't spoken a word since they left. He'd been brooding in the back seat, actually pouting mind you, and sneering at anyone who got too close to the car. Naruto rolled his eyes and ventured around the side to the lowered window of the back seat.

Sasuke spared him a glare, and decided to give a swaying piece of dry seaweed his attention.

"Sasuke come on, at least pretend you wanna be here," Naruto said. "I thought comin' out would be good for us. Ya know, to bond, get some fresh air?"

Sasuke remained tight lipped.

"Are you really gonna sit in here and burn up? 'Cause I'm not turnin' on the air conditioner just to please his royal highness."

That didn't get a reaction either. Naruto shifted from foot to foot and turned to face the same crumbled seaweed, no more than a thin tissue of green against the sand. He leaned against the car, crossing his ankles and sighed, dejectedly. This wasn't going nearly as well as he'd hoped.

"Why the hell are we really out here?"

Finally, Naruto smirked, angling his head down to meet Sasuke's slight lower and suspiciously thin eyes. "I wanted us to have some fun today. Everyone's been tense in the apartment. I think it's because we're always cooped up. At least out here we can cut loose and run around as much as we want."

Sasuke snorted and went back to staring at the seaweed, "I can do that at night." Not to mention . . . something wasn't right. Sasuke's pelt kept prickling on end because when the wind blew it carried only the smell of sea salt, humans, sand and various foods. He couldn't smell anything else. His senses were dulled so severely, like a plug was stuffed in his nose and ears.

Naruto's annoyed sigh, he did hear. The disappointment in those Egyptian blue eyes, he did see. The sluggish way he walked around to the truck of the car and finished gathering their belongings, Sasuke noticed too. Sasuke murmured to himself and leapt through the window when Naruto circled around carrying his surfboard and cooler.

"Why are you such an idiot?" Sasuke had to ask and snatched the gear away, none too gently. Now, he remembered seeing Kyuubi and Kiba head down this way. If he started, they should be able to catch up to them.

A strong grip pinched his chin and yanked down. Sasuke wanted to let his anger marinate, but Naruto's lips weren't letting that happen. The deepest part of his stomach pulsed and flared with heat. Sasuke's mouth was ravished expertly, shooting more heat to his groin. It became a small contest. Sasuke used his own mouth the way he'd dig his claws into prey, tongue thrusting forward and curving as it scoured every inch of Naruto's mouth.

The blond was feeling adventurous and kinky today too. Naruto dropped his hands where they rested on Sasuke's shoulders and went south knitting Sasuke's stomach muscles, his waist line, rubbed tendering over anything that felt like scars and soon he was making his way around to caress the Cat Beast's firm, shapely ass cheeks. Sasuke's tail coiled around Naruto's waist and pulled forward.

They were so close; the outline of groin to spandex was like pressing against a viper. Naruto pulled away from the kiss, leaving smaller ones here and there. "Thank you for tryin'." He muttered against Sasuke's mouth, a kiss and a talk in one. "I wanted to make you feel better."

"I do now," Sasuke kissed him again, and again. "Make me feel good." He whispered dragging the tips of his claws along Naruto's nude arms, gentle as the tip of feathers.

Naruto delivered one last kiss, and stepped back, "Later."

Sasuke's butt was softly smacked and soon he was chasing after the blond, nearly forgetting their gear. When he went back to retrieve it, Sasuke paused, sniffed and glanced around, he wasn't sure if . . . if he'd smelled right.

No it wasn't. He got their stuff and quickly remembered that he had a blond to get back too.


End file.
